Chicken Cottage: the future of multi-unit QSR investment

The fast food franchise's extensive rebrand goes far deeper than just the new look

Chicken Cottage is no new kid on the block. With its first restaurant opening in Wembley in 1994, it has always been at the heart of the UK’s QSR scene. However, if you visited a Chicken Cottage outlet recently, you will have noticed things have started to look, and feel, very different.

As the first chicken brand to offer grilled, fried and halal options, it has always stood out as something special. Always the innovator and trendsetter, with its recent relaunch, Chicken Cottage has taken it to the next level. It has updated everything from the look of its restaurants to the quality and variety of its menus – but that’s not all.

Making every single one of its restaurants stand out as the fresh, on-trend food destinations they are is just the beginning. Chicken Cottage has also taken its franchise in a whole new direction by perfecting the business model it can offer partners. With an ambitious plan for growth that is set to position Chicken Cottage as the global sensation it’s always been destined to be, the brand is now seeking multi-unit operators and area developers.

The new franchise package offers high-net-worth individuals an unbeatable opportunity with one of the UK’s most exciting and dynamic brands. With options on starting with just a single outlet and growing from there, or launching straight into a lucrative multi-unit operation; franchising with Chicken Cottage promises both the potential for growth and excellent returns on investment.

The franchise relaunch has also included the recruitment of a stellar team to help lead the way into the exciting new future planned for the brand. This includes some of the best, brightest and most successful people the F&B industry has to offer. The team now includes key personnel from leading brands such as McDonald’s and KFC, meaning partners at every level can benefit from the kind of top-level experience and expertise that adds incredible value to any investment with Chicken Cottage.

Renowned F&B franchising specialist, Krishma Vaghela, has also joined the team. Not only is Krishma heading up the franchise development, but she also acts as a recruitment consultant for The Franchising Centre, a specialist firm that has masterminded the development of some of the UK’s top brands. By working in partnership with them, Chicken Cottage is able to focus on growing and supporting its network while The Franchising Centre brings some invaluable insight and strategic level thinking to the offering.

Just a few months in, Chicken Cottage’s efforts are already bearing fruit and it is receiving a great deal of interest from new potential investors, as well as seeing existing partners rapidly expand their operations. Most recently, it celebrated the opening of two new restaurants in Wandsworth and Langley, each representing a successful progression to a second site for two multi-unit franchise owners. With their expansion plans in full swing, both can now expect accelerated growth and are already looking ahead to their third sites.

Chicken Cottage has also heard some great news from its franchise owner in Shipley, Zulfiqar Ali, who was recently awarded Best Eatery in the Yorkshire Best Business awards. With this fantastic accolade under his belt, Zulfiqar has his sights firmly set on his second site, with big plans for further outlets down the line.

“This past year with Chicken Cottage has helped my business reach new goals,” said Zulfiqar. “We have had a lot of help from our operations manager to help achieve better results. Even through these difficult times, Chicken Cottage has helped by launching a new app and making the brand even stronger. We have had a lot of help from head office and their support and guidance is helping my business to thrive.”