Poised to grow across the country, Wok to Walk wants to give its franchisees and consumers something fresh after 20 years of international business
It’s been a busy 20 years for Wok to Walk – a pan-Asian QSR franchise which has established itself in numerous competitive markets around the globe, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, and New York, as well a newly opened Las Vegas location.
The brand is in the midst of an aggressive expansion plan, with the UK a core focus of its growth – given its early success in major British cities such as London.
“We want to grow globally, but we are very focused on Europe and especially in the UK because this market has always been so good to us,” explains Cris Piera, International CMO.
“There’s massive potential here and we’re in the perfect shape to maximize it: UK customers just confirmed it in a market research. Our ideal partners are multi-unit operators because our visions and capabilities are aligned. The best Wok to Walk territories are run by this profile, and they also report Wok to Walk is one of their most profitable brands”.
The brand transformation
Wok to Walk’s ambition has been marked by a strategic brand refresh which has seen the evolution of the 1-2-3 based concept (whereby customers choose each element of their dish to create a personalised meal) into an Asian Street Food parlour.
“In anticipation of market shifts, we wanted to push the brand and business model towards the future,” says Cris. “It was a process where we focused on the brand universe, from culinary to interiors and visuals, to improve the experience both for customers and franchisees.
“The new menu is working: average ticket and frequency are improving, and Chicken Teriyaki is now a UK bestseller,” says Cris. “Our Yakisoba is also very popular, and we do a mean Pad Thai.”
Franchisees also have the benefit of expanding its revenue by offering big ticket catering and other services. Wok to Walk is now looking for investors who can lead the brand’s expansion in the UK via franchising.
“We want consolidated multi-unit operators who are passionate about product and service,” confirms Cris. “The brand and the operation are absolutely ready to take over the market.”
