Neat Burger eyes further international growth following latest funding round

The group, which operates eight restaurants across London, recently launched its first US outpost in Nolita, New York, and is planning further openings in the country.

It is also looking to build its international presence with sites in Italy, and in the Middle East where Neat Burger opened its first franchise in Dubai last October.

“We see New York as a tastemaker gateway to the US and by all metrics it has been our most successful launch to date,” says Zack Bishti, Neat Burger co-founder and CEO.

“New Yorkers have good taste and strong opinions and we've been thrilled to see customers continually return. We’re at the heart of the growth in plant-based diets and our proximity to the customer voice sets us apart.”

The group’s focus on international expansion suggests Neat Burger is no longer concentrated on growth within the UK.

Back in the summer of 2021, Bishti told ​Restaurant​ ​​that he expected Neat Burger to have 20 restaurant sites across the UK by the end of 2022, growing to 30 by the third quarter of 2023.

However, according to a recent report in the FT​​​, the group only expects to add up to three more sites to its London estate by 2025, which would bring its total tally in the city to 11.

Speaking to the FT, ​Bishti admitted the company had slowed its expansion plans because of ‘multiple black swan events’ including soaring inflation and a consumer slowdown since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

However, he stressed he still believed Neat Burger could rival mainstream burger joints, such as Shake Shack and Five Guys.