Auntie Anne’s targets 100 UK stores by 2030

The expansion will focus on high-traffic areas like malls and train stations.

Auntie Anne’s UK is stepping up its expansion, aiming to double its store count to 100 by 2030 as franchise interest strengthens across the country.

“We’re a sub-franchising business,” Managing Director Max Burton told QSR Media. “We’re looking both for good sites and good franchisees, and the goal is to bring them together.”

The pretzel chain, known for its signature hand-rolled soft pretzels, operates 45 outlets across the UK and plans to reach 50 by year-end. Expansion will focus on high-traffic retail destinations such as shopping centres, outlet villages, and train stations.

“We’ve now done our second outlet village—Cheshire Oaks and Swindon—and we’re looking at another five or six in those types of locations over the next 12 months,” Burton said via Zoom.

Franchisees are playing a key role in that growth. “We’re seeing existing franchisees wanting to grow with us,” he said. “Our franchisee in Ireland is about to open his fourth location, and he’s been keen to do more.”

The UK arm has 27 franchisees, including three operating four locations each and one with three stores. “We’re in conversations with eight or nine franchisees right now about future sites,” Burton said.

Interest is particularly strong in regions where the brand has yet to establish a presence. The typical investment per store is £110,000 to £140,000, depending on site size and setup costs, including franchise fees, equipment, and shop fit.

Auntie Anne’s works closely with franchisees on site selection. “We don’t mind franchisees finding their own sites, but we play a detailed part in approving them,” Burton said. “We make sure they meet our criteria—footfall, competition, demographics.”

Despite pressures from rising wages and operating costs, the company continues to report solid performance. “In 2024 over 2023, like-for-like sales were around 10.5% up year on year,” Burton said. “We’re currently up single digits year on year.”

Technology is being tested to improve efficiency. “We’re trialling our first kiosk ordering screen,” he said. “It helps reduce labour a little, but more importantly, it gives customers more time to browse and upsell themselves.”

Burton estimates room for 80 to 90 more UK sites “quite comfortably.” Longer term, a shift to high-street locations could further expand its footprint.

“If we were then to look at the high street, that grows exponentially,” he said. “That will be a project in the future—to see if we can develop a slightly wider bakery offer.”