Yo-Chi tests Australian model with first UK venue

Its London branch will span more than 2,000 square feet across two floors.

Yo-Chi’s first UK venue will test whether the Australian frozen-yoghurt brand can adapt its self-service model to a colder climate and an unfamiliar customer market.

“The biggest thing for us so far is having a super strong foundation before spreading our wings,” Brooke Rodger, CEO at Yo-Chi, said in an emailed reply to questions.

“We couldn't have contemplated opening venues globally two or three years ago when we were still getting a lot of our back-end in order,” she added.

Yo-Chi will open its first UK venue in Notting Hill Gate this summer after entering Singapore. The London site will span more than 2,000 square feet across two floors and house more than 120 guests.

Rodger said each overseas venue must reproduce the Yo-Chi experience whilst fitting into its local community.

The brand has grown from four venues in 2020 to more than 75 across Australia. Rodger said the company waited to expand overseas until its internal systems were strong enough to support operations outside Australia.

Yo-Chi committed to the UK after gaining confidence that it could reproduce its Australian offering, including its yoghurt range, gourmet toppings, store design, retail locations, and staff culture.

Singapore helped shape the UK approach. Rodger said the brand was surprised by its popularity there, with queues forming from 4 AM on opening day at its Orchard Gateway site.

The experience made venue size an important consideration for London. Yo-Chi wanted enough space for customers, including indoor seating, because the UK does not have Singapore’s year-round warm weather.

Rodger said people, rather than operations, are the biggest challenge when taking Yo-Chi’s self-service model into another market.

“We've got the operational formula in Australia and Singapore, so extending that to the UK isn't the challenge,” she said. “It's making sure we're building a team who are obsessively guest-focused, bring the right energy, and get all the one-percenters right.”