Dessert franchise Little Dessert Shop has opened its first dark kitchen site.
The company, which has grown to more than 50 locations since being founded in 2014 by Mu’azzam Ali, has opened the site in Preston. Little Dessert Shop will look at how the Preston dark kitchen performs before deciding whether to extend the model further.
Marketing Manager Josh Allen said: “This launch marks an exciting step forward as Little Dessert Shop begins to strategically expand into the dark kitchen market. We’ve seen a huge rise in demand for our products across the UK and this new model allows us to extend our reach, enhance brand accessibility and fulfil consumer demand importantly.
We’re excited to be launching into this new market and hope it marks just the start of an exciting move in Little Dessert Shop’s growth especially in new markets.”
The delivery-only model builds on initiatives like Little Dessert Shop Postals, which the company said has extended the brand’s reach across the UK. Little Dessert Shop opened a new store in Oldham last week and is also set to launch an outlet in Doncaster this year.
Ali told Propel in December that he is aiming to double the brand’s estate by the end of 2027 as it focuses on new areas of the UK.
He is also looking to roll out more of his four-strong X model locations, which sees Little Dessert Shop and sister brand Betsy’s, which offers premium burgers, sit under one roof.
