Panda Yummy ready for rollout
The first opening will be Glasgow on 20 March, followed by Bradford one week later.
The next six openings are expected to take place every 10 days after that, at Ashford in Kent, High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, Shirley in the West Midlands, Northwood Hills and Staines in Surrey, and Royston in Hertfordshire.
“Around June or July, we would expect to take stock of the situation and if all has gone well, we would look to start recruiting new franchisees. We have a target then to open one new store per week.
“By the end of 2014 we would expect to have around 40 stores open.”
Takeaway focus
He admitted that target is 'ambitious' but pointed out that the group now has two teams focused on fitting out new sites. It also has a central development kitchen and distribution warehouse.
MacDonald added: “We would expect to open at least one a week during 2015, with a hope that we could increase it above one a week.”
Around two thirds of the upcoming openings will have a sit-in restaurant, although the primary focus in takeaways and deliveries. Each is run by individual franchisees.
“At least two of them have very strong aspirations to open several more stores directly on the back of this,” MacDonald said.
Panda Yummy currently operates a site in Crawley, West Sussex, that offers both sit-down options and takeaway.
