Burger King UK chairman Martin Robinson invests in HOP Vietnamese's customer-only round

Robinson also has an existing ‘significant’ equity stake in the business.

HOP has announced that Burger King UK chairman Martin Robinson would be investing in its ongoing customer-only round.

Robinson was the former chairman of Center Parcs, Wagamama and Casual Dining Group. He acts as an advisor to HOP’s senior team on the strategic direction of the business.

“I first heard about HOP when I met founder Paul [Hopper] in 2015. What stood out to me from the outset was his genuine passion, enthusiasm and the level of detail he’d put into creating HOP. It looked like a brand that has been around for years but it only had one shop,” Robinson said.

“I’ve invested 4 further times in HOP over the last 4 years and watched Paul and his team create something truly special. I really think HOP can be an international brand one day and I feel now is the right time for HOP to expand and to capitalise on all the hard work,” he added.

Asked about what’s great with HOP, Robinson praised the Vietnamese brand’s product, speed of service and response to evolving customer needs.

“Having been Chairman of wagamama I know what it takes to roll out an Asian food brand across the UK and I think Paul and his team have the ability to do this for Vietnamese food,” he said.

“I’ve also worked with a number of Private Equity firms over the years and I think HOP’s simple and scalable business model makes it an attractive investment opportunity for these types of investors in the near future.”