YouMeSushi banks on sushi’s mass market appeal to grow in the UK

The sushi restaurant market is expected to grow to $16.6b by 2032.

Fast-casual chain YouMeSushi is leveraging the growing popularity of sushi in the UK and its focus on freshly made, on-demand offerings to drive the expansion of its 26-store network.

QSR Media spoke with Tim Circus, Head of Franchise at YouMeSushi to discuss the brand's edge against other fast-casual sushi chains and how it plans to take a slice out of a $16.6b market.

Please tell me about YouMeSushi. How did you develop the brand and where did the idea come from?

TC:  YouMeSushi’s founder always loved sushi and Japanese cuisine.  About 20 years ago, he noticed sushi’s growing global appeal and realized there was an opportunity to innovate.  The idea was to create a brand that combined fresh sushi with hot Japanese food under one roof, offering diverse options to customers and addressing a clear gap in the market. 
Until then, sushi and hot Japanese food had always been sold as separate offerings. Now there would be a choice for everyone to enjoy.

In 2008, YouMeSushi opened in Marylebone in an off location and pioneered a brand-new menu. Picture this: on a Sunday evening, you could indulge in a hearty meal of hot Chicken Katsu Curry and rice with your family.  Or if they chose, they could enjoy a lighter meal of fresh sushi that suited their taste.  It was sushi and more.  It was also where the name YouMeSushi came from. You and me sit down and enjoy our favourite sushi treat together.

The Marylebone restaurant was colourful and looked amazing too.  Remember, this was before the rise of aggregators, so we were really professional with our deliveries.  As a result, Marylebone was massively successful and sales rocketed.

What were your initial challenges when you first launched? How did you navigate them?

Within a year, I think we must have been one of the busiest delivery shops in the UK!  Then, we grew through corporate-owned and supported sites until 2020, when we first began franchising.  We opened our first franchised store during the Pandemic.
Expanding through corporate-owned stores is certainly rewarding, but it is an expensive route.  We also found that compared to employees, franchisees are more invested in their businesses.  Because franchisees are as passionate about our high standards as we are and really committed to the quality we were looking for to deliver to our customers, we realized franchising was a good long-term growth strategy for us.

You now have 26 locations. How did you get to where you are now?

Our fresh sushi and hot Japanese dishes cater to diverse demographics, from families enjoying a hearty dinner to individuals seeking a quick lunch.  Sushi’s mass appeal and our commitment to freshly made, high-quality options have been key drivers.  For example, in the UK alone, the sushi market generates over £1.3 billion annually, showcasing its widespread demand.  At YouMeSushi, our focus on freshness and quality ensures that we stand out in this growing industry. 

Our combination of fresh sushi and hot Japanese meals, coupled with exceptional service, has made us a go-to for families, professionals, and students alike.  By prioritizing consistency and customer satisfaction, we’ve built a loyal following that continues to grow. 

Our local home delivery is incredibly popular, or customers can visit our welcoming stores for takeaway.  From our fresh Prawn Gyoza to Uramaki to Curry or our specialty Dragon Rolls and Spicy Rainbow Rolls, there is something for everyone.  All our food is freshly handmade by our trained chefs.  If you order a Chicken Katsu Curry, unlike our competitors, it’s always made fresh there and then.  Since our start-up, others have adopted the sushi/hot Japanese food menu we pioneered, but the freshness is often lost.

Our appeal, popularity, and high standards have created a demand that has led us to grow to 26 sites.  We have now become a trusted brand for those who appreciate and recognize the quality of our food.

Sushi has become increasingly popular in the UK. How do you view its journey to becoming a mass-market product?

Sushi has grown significantly from a niche offering to a mass-market product.  For example, the global sushi restaurant market is projected to grow to $16.6 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 8%.  This growth is fuelled by a combination of health-conscious consumers, cultural interest in Japanese cuisine, and convenience.

In the UK, the Japanese and sushi restaurant industry is generating over £1.3 billion annually, showing its mainstream appeal.  Supermarkets and delivery services have also made sushi more accessible than ever.  At YouMeSushi, we’ve been proud to contribute to this shift by offering fresh, high-quality options that meet the needs of this evolving market.  

What makes YouMeSushi different from other fast-casual sushi places?

YouMeSushi’s unique appeal lies in its fresh, made-to-order approach and a business model that delivers strong financial returns for franchisees.  With the sushi market booming and consumers increasingly valuing quality and authenticity, our focus on providing robust training, marketing, and operational support ensures success for our partners. 

Unlike many competitors, we ensure that every dish is freshly prepared, maintaining an authentic dining experience whether it’s in-store or delivered.  This commitment, combined with our hands-on franchisee support is attractive because the numbers also add up for our franchisees.  If the franchised business is controlled correctly and the team is passionate about our food, with our training, marketing, and support, then they will be successful.

We also work very closely with franchisees, looking at their P&Ls to ensure they are on track.  We listen to franchisees and take on board their feedback when it comes to menu selection and even some business ideas.  It’s in our interests they are successful, and the team at YouMeSushi is 100% committed to supporting franchisees, which is refreshing.

In a previous interview, you mentioned everything is made fresh in-house, and you hire skilled chefs. Do you find it challenging to recruit skilled chefs for each franchise location, especially as the brand grows?

Our sushi chefs go on a four-to-six-week training program within a corporate store . It’s great if we can find a sushi chef, but if not, we can train good staff with catering experience in our way of preparing sushi.  For example, one of our franchisees brought his team with him from a previous QSR enterprise, and we were able to support them with full training and on-site coaching.  Now, the quality of their sushi preparation is superb.

How do you assist your franchisees with challenges like cost management, sourcing fresh ingredients, and maintaining quality and consistency?

We have an approved list of carefully sourced suppliers.  While we build long-term relationships, we do shop around to ensure the best deals for our franchises, as cost control in any business is critical.  Quality and consistency are key, and much of this comes down to training.  For example, we recently launched a new product in Scotland, and our operations manager and trained chef supported the team on-site for the launch.

I understand several of your franchisees started as employees within the business. How have you nurtured them and enabled them to become business owners?

Over the years, we have identified several long-term team members and supported them to open their own YouMeSushi stores.  It all started when, after ten years of service, our founder was sad to hear one of his excellent managers had decided to leave after he’d been promised a partnership elsewhere.  However, we were so confident in our concept and his experience and ability that our founder sat down with him and offered to finance and open a store for him.  This investment has led to the financial and operational support of seven other long-standing team members opening YouMeSushi stores.  Every one of them has lived up to expectations and done a superb job.  They work hard and are committed to delivering the quality experience for our customers that we pride ourselves on at YouMeSushi.  It’s been wonderful to be able to give them these opportunities.

While rewarding, this is not the fastest way to grow the overall brand moving forward.  As we accelerate our growth, we are now looking for franchisees prepared and able to invest in their own future so they can profit from our established, proven YouMeSushi franchised concept.

What do you hope to achieve in the next five years?

Our goal is to grow YouMeSushi into a household name for Japanese cuisine across the UK and expand into international markets.  We see enormous potential for franchisees to benefit from this booming sector.  By continuing to attract passionate entrepreneurs and providing them with proven systems and support, we aim to lead the charge in this evolving industry.