The Sushi Co has opened in Sidcup creating ten new jobs. Award winning franchisees and experienced QSR professionals Aafaq Aslam and Zain Malik will run the restaurant along with their locally recruited team of ten.
Aafaq and Zain who are also the franchisees for The Sushi Co Brentwood – recently named ‘best restaurant’ in Essex at England’s Business Awards, East of England show – confirmed: “We’ve spent the past two and half years building up Brentwood. Based on that success, we are now super excited to bring our fresh and flavourful sushi to Sidcup.
Previously, we were both area managers for a well-known pizza brand but had always wanted to run our own business. We recognised that trends were changing and there was a growing craving for healthier choices. We already knew The Sushi Co’s team and put our trust in their experience and vision.”
They added: “We’ve been rewarded through investment into a business model with wide appeal and a great ROI. The Sushi Co has supported us with training, marketing, store location and fit out. When the opportunity to open our second outlet became available, we jumped at the chance.
Sidcup is a superb location, with no other sushi options. We are excited about the opening and now look forward to serving the community of Sidcup.”
The Sushi Co in Sidcup will offer an eat in menu for up to 25 people plus take-out and delivery options. The opening weekend offer included 50% discount for eat in orders, plus the first 200 roles were given away free.
Co-Founder of The Sushi Co, Raheel Choudhary confirms: “Sushi continues to grow in popularity in the UK. We have focused on bringing our delicious minutes fresh sushi prepared in our live kitchens, along with our amazing range of South Asian dishes, right into the mainstream.
Demand is such that we continue to expand. Our management team is vastly experienced, and we can now support new franchisees on their own successful sushi journey.
He added: “As a result, we very much open to offering franchising opportunities to like-minded individuals to take advantage of a proven and profitable business model in an expanding market. For new franchisees, site sourcing, store fit out, training, turn-key opening of stores and marketing and full training enable potential to be maximised in this thriving space.”
Franchisees benefit from competitive fees, a low initial franchise fee, a fully tested business model developed over five years and designed to deliver strong cashflows plus an industry leading ROI.
Investors can be confident the support of The Sushi Co’s experienced team to enable them to leverage the work that has gone into creating this exciting franchise opportunity.
Despite the demands of running a rapidly expanding company, Choudhary has learned to find balance, something he didn’t always have. These days, he’s an early riser, front-loading his weekdays with office work before spending afternoons on-site visits and store builds.
Evenings are reserved for football and gym sessions, and weekends are kept for family. “Sunday lunch at my mum’s house—that’s the recharge,” he says with a smile.
Among his proudest milestones is winning an international franchise of the year award earlier in his career, besting competitors across 30 markets, but he’s just as proud of The Sushi Co’s present trajectory. He said: “It’s been incredible to watch it grow. And we’re only getting started.”
When asked what advice he’d give his younger self, Choudhary was quick to reply: “Learn to walk before you run. There are no shortcuts. Move with care, build the right team, and think everything through.”
For prospective franchisees eyeing entry into the booming sushi space, The Sushi Co is currently welcoming applications.
Choudhary says: “We’re looking for experienced QSR and business professionals ready to invest in a proven, fast-growing concept. This is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the casual dining market, and we’re here to lead it.”
As The Sushi Co expands across the UK, Choudhary is showing that scale doesn’t have to mean compromise. With handcrafted sushi at its core and a franchise model built on training, quality, and support, he’s not just growing a brand, he’s setting a new standard for what fast-casual dining can deliver.
