Vietnamese restaurant chain to launch in UK

06-Sep-2009 - Last updated on 29-Nov-2010 at 11:22 GMT

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A Pho 24 outlet in Vietnam

Pho 24, a Vietnamese fast food restaurant chain, is rolling it’s concept over to the UK, with the first of 30 planned sites to open in London next month

Vietnamese fast food restaurant Pho 24 is to branch into the UK market with 30 franchised sites over the next 15 years, the first of which will launch in London next month.

The noodle bar, which now operates 59 restaurants in Vietnam and 11 in Singapore, Cambodia, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia since its inception in 2003, has signed a franchise deal with UK partner Leisure Space Group to launch its first European outlets.

Andy Ho, managing director of Pho 24 investment company VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund (VOF), said the restaurant chain is expected to be as popular in Europe as it is in Asia.

“Pho, or beef noodle soup, is Vietnam's most-treasured national dish,” he said. “Pho 24 is therefore not merely a restaurant chain, but a reflection of Vietnam's growth and emergence as a country exporting brands and products around the world. I look forward to my first bowl of pho in London.”

The first UK outlet is due to launch in central London on 18 October, with expansion plans for Europe and Hong Kong to follow.