QSR brand Popeyes is eyeing up dozens of new kitchen builds after securing finance facilities totalling £43 million.
The chain plans to almost double its UK footprint by opening 45 restaurants after agreeing the financing with Barclays Corporate Banking.
The facilities, alongside its existing support from TDR Capital, which last year took a majority stake in the business, will provide it with the flexibility to execute its expansion plans over the coming years, it said.
Popeyes landed in the UK four years ago and ratcheted up its expansion plans in 2024 by opening 33 sites and currently has 80 stores.
Approximately 2,500 new jobs will be created during the next phase of its growth this year.
In April, it also launched a strategic partnership with SSP Group to open a pipeline of Popeyes restaurants across UK travel hubs, starting at Birmingham Airport this summer.
Drew Taylor, CFO at Popeyes UK, said: “Barclays is a highly supportive banking partner of Popeyes in the UK.
The new finance facilities will enable us to build on our successful growth in the UK to date and execute our expansion strategy over the coming years, with more than 45 openings targeted in 2025 alone.”
Popeyes UK holds the master UK franchise for the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brand, one of the world’s largest chicken QSR brands, first founded in New Orleans in 1972 and now with more than 4,000 restaurants globally.
It is famed for its ‘shatter crunchin’ chicken, which is hand-breaded and battered following a 12-hour marination process.
