The investment is set to drive both U.K. and global expansion.
Wingstop, an award-winning chicken wing concept with more than 1,500 locations worldwide, has announced a minority investment in its U.K. business.
The U.K. is managed by franchisee Lemon Pepper Holdings, Ltd. (LPH), which Wingstop entered into a 100-restaurant agreement with back in 2017.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Lemon Pepper team as they grow their brand presence in the U.K., a market with tremendous long-term potential,” said Wingstop CFO, Michael Skipworth. “We believe this strategic use of our capital will strengthen the development pipeline in that market and I am excited to join the Lemon Pepper Holdings board of directors and play a role in helping achieve the potential for the Wingstop brand in the U.K.”
LPH was founded by Saul Lewin, Tom Grogan, Herman Sahota, and Paddy Bamford. It opened its first Wingstop in the heart of central London and now has a diverse portfolio of high street, shopping mall, and ghost kitchen locations.
The U.K. saw its highest sales growth from Wingstop in 2020, and opened many new locations despite national lockdowns. Last month, the brand opened a new location in Reading, just outside of London – the first site not in the capital, and one of several new builds planned for 2021 including Manchester, Kingston-upon-Thames, the Birmingham Bullring, and Bristol.
“Since launching in the U.K. market in 2017, Wingstop has brought its flavorsome chicken wings to thousands of hungry guests across several high-profile locations,” said Grogan, director of LPH. “We’ve been delighted by the overwhelming response from guests and look forward to bringing our brand to more regions of the U.K. in coming years.”
