Burger chain Wendy’s to launch ‘ghost kitchens’ in UK
U.S. burger chain Wendy’s has announced plans for 700 delivery kitchens including in locations across the UK.
The company announced a development commitment by REEF to launch 700 ‘ghost kitchens’ over the next five years across the U.S., Canada and UK.
The delivery kitchen concept will target consumers keen to maintain at-home leisure habits beyond the pandemic and comes after a successful test of eight kitchens in Canada.
Wendy’s said it expects around 50 kitchens to be opened this year with the rest to launch in 2022-2025.
It forecast global system-wide sales growth between 11 per cent and 13 per cent in 2021, compared with its previous range of 8 per cent to 10 per cent.
The chain opened its first Wendy’s site in the UK in Reading earlier this summer (June) after the business closed venues in the country in 2001.
Total revenues were $493.3M in the second quarter of 2021, compared to $402.3M in the same period in 2020, thanks to higher sales at restaurants and an advertising boost.
The chain said it had benefited from the launch of a fresh breakfast menu and would inject an additional $10m into its annual advertising spend to target the breakfast market.
Abigail Pringle, president, international and chief development officer, said the company planned to open restaurants in Stratford, Oxford, Croydon and Romford this year.
The company expects to work with the main delivery platforms in delivering “fresh quality, made to order food” to “many, many more customers” via its ‘ghost kitchens’.
Pringle said the number of ‘ghost kitchens’ in the UK would make a “meaningful impact” and the company hoped to reach around £1m in London alone with its plans for 2021.