Chicken Franchises are Booming in the UK
Take a look along any high street and you’re likely to see a fried chicken shop somewhere in the parade of retailers and restaurants. Recent years have seen a boom in chicken franchises, with retailers springing up in town centres up and down the country.
In fact, chicken franchises are so successful that they are quickly outstripping all other types of fast food outlets. Sales in the chicken franchise industry grew by a whopping 36% between 2003 and 2008, compared to just 22% in the fast food industry as a whole.
This means that now is the perfect time to pick up a chicken franchise of your own and cash in on the UK’s love of this popular poultry.
Chicken franchises in the UK
The majority of the chicken shops in the UK serve up a variation of southern American fried chicken, chips and other fried snacks. Though there are some healthier options available, like South African chain Nando’s (not currently available for franchise in the UK), most of Britain’s eateries cater to people that are looking for a delicious and hot hit of spiced, fried chicken.
As well as serving workers on their lunch break and families looking for a quick and easy dinner, many of the UK’s chicken shops cater to people who are out for a night on the town. As a result, many are open until late into the night, employing staff in shifts to cope with the long working day.
Chicken shops in some town centres actually take most of their revenue at night, with the busiest periods occurring after the pubs close and in the early morning when nightclubs and late night bars spill crowds out into the streets.
Franchisees will need to be prepared for long days and long nights and will need to plan their staffing levels accordingly, but with the right team behind you, you could cash in on the frenzy for fried chicken and choose the hours you work.
Is a chicken franchise a good investment?
With more and more chicken shops springing up across the country, the chicken franchise industry doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
However, as so many franchises have opened in the last few years, there is fierce competition between retailers in some town centres. Anyone thinking about buying a chicken franchise will need to research their chosen location thoroughly, looking for areas where there is still a demand for more chicken franchises to open.
Another option for potential franchisees is to provide the public with something a little bit different. There is a strong shift in the UK’s eating habits towards healthy food options and providing a low calorie alternative to traditional fried chicken could be an option for entrepreneurial franchisees.
Diversifying into different types of food and offering a higher end experience could also be an option for new chicken franchises, allowing them to offer the public a slightly different dining experience.
A good choice for entrepreneurs that want to enter the fast food trade, chicken shops are enduringly popular and in constant demand across the UK, making them the ideal choice for anyone looking for a successful franchise.
If a franchise in the popular Catering sector, could be the ideal franchise for you click here to see various franchise opportunities.