It is one of the fastest growing Thai restaurant groups in the UK and Ireland
Camile Thai Kitchen is a home delivery food experience that not only excites its customers but also provides a great business opportunity for budding franchisees.
Created in 2010 by Brody Sweeney, founder of the award-winning O’Briens Sandwich Bar chain (350 outlets in 16 countries), Camile is the result of years of business experience, a desire to create something new and different, and a dedication to providing really delicious, restaurant-quality food.
Camile is poised for significant growth in 2022, both in the UK and overseas. It’s the largest and fastest-growing Thai restaurant chain in the UK and Ireland, with 46 outlets already and plans to open a further 20 more across the UK during 2022.
As well as its core neighbourhood home delivery restaurant concept, this year Camile will also open new restaurants in the UK and Ireland in partnership with International Transport Caterers SSP, motorway services provider Circle K, and Tesco.
Best for customer service
Unlike many other hospitality businesses, Camile has thrived throughout the pandemic, as its suburban-based, home-delivery model has proven resilient to exceptionally difficult trading circumstances. Camile restaurants are geared towards a quick and efficient delivery process, facilitated by an award-winning app, offering a reliable ordering service for home delivery and collection.
Roughly 70 per cent of Camile’s business is home delivery, and Camile aims to deliver 80 per cent of orders within a 30-minute time frame. The innovative food product, developed through more than 10 years of research in the food delivery space, is perfectly tailored to hold its heat and quality during delivery.
The branches run their own driver fleets while maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with industry-leading aggregators. This two-tiered approach to delivery gives them a significant advantage over their competitors.
Market - leading sustainability concept
Sustainability is key to Camile in 2022. On the back of being crowned Best Eco-Restaurant in the UK at the Deliveroo Awards, Camile is now striving toward becoming one of the most sustainable restaurant groups in Europe. There is a substantial vegan selection on the menu, catering for a growing customer base wanting more plant-based choices, and plastic has been removed from all deliveries. In addition, the forward-facing company has several initiatives that further outline its commitment to leading the way in healthy living and sustainability:
- The first home delivery chain in Europe to go 100 per cent compostable on packaging
- The first to print calories on menus
- The first to deliver by drone and to carry out free healthy cookery demonstrations for our guests
- The first to have carbon-counted dishes on their menu
Prospects for growth
Since opening its first location in 2010, the business has expanded through a combination of company-owned and franchised restaurants. The franchising model is well developed in Ireland and ongoing expansion in London is at the forefront of Camile’s business strategy. With single-unit and multi-unit franchisees growing at a steady rate, it’s an amazing time to join Camile Thai.
Camile is proud to say that 60 per cent of its franchisees have come from within the business, both a testament to how Camile operates and its ability to find great talent. Multiple franchisees have gone on to become multi-unit owners, with Pramod Thankappan currently on 10 sites and two more under construction. With a variety of formats available, from core neighbourhood home delivery restaurants to cloud kitchens, Camile has an offer to suit every market.
Camile franchise owner Rakesh Gopalakrishnan was working as a manager in the Camile Tooting Bec location when he saw the potential of running his own Camile Thai business. In late 2018, he took the keys to his first restaurant, investing in two more London branches in 2021. He has since racked up high double-digit like-for-like sales, strong gross prof its, and assembled a dedicated restaurant team to deliver an amazing guest experience. “2021 was an extremely busy year,” says Rakesh. “But with the support and guidance of the Camile Thai team, I feel well-equipped to continue my journey as a business owner.”
With Camile, prospective franchisees will find an opportunity to join a unique and thriving food delivery brand in a booming market, with an incredible opportunity for growth.
At a glance
Established:
2010
Number of franchised outlets:
45-plus
Location of units:
ROI, UK and USA
Investment range:
£250,000 - £500,000
Minimum required capital:
£100,000
Contact:
Shabu Mani, UK managing director at franchise@camile.co.uk
