Smash burger brand Fat Phill’s looks to enter UK market
Initially, Freshly Baked will look to open three sites between 1,000sq ft and 1,800sq ft on busy Greater London high streets but hopes to launch 100 sites over the next 10 years.
Fat Phill’s was founded by Armin Vahabian in 2019 and has since expanded to 17 locations across the Netherlands, becoming the fastest growing burger brand in the country.
The partnership with Fat Phill’s and Freshly Baked - which is the master franchisee for US-founded pretzel brand Auntie Anne’s - has been co-ordinated by F&B business developer and franchise consultant Seeds Consulting.
“We are excited about partnering with Freshly Baked,” Vahabian says. “Their track-record as a master franchisee for Auntie Anne’s speaks for itself: they are structured to roll out and have a deep understanding of our sector and the franchise relationship.”
Seeds consulting director Matteo Frigeri added: “Fat Phill’s is not just a great restaurant concept; it works equally well as a franchise. It has delivered a competitive ROI and growth for all its current franchise partners, most of which are opening already their second or third location.”
Freshly Baked operates 38 Auntie Anne’s locations in the UK. Last November it has agreed to renew its Master Franchise Agreement with US-Based franchise Focus Brands for a further 10 years and is looking to ‘more than double’ its UK estate.
Earlier this year, Restaurant identified a second wave of smash burger operators as a key trend for 2024.
