Taiwanese fried chicken vendor, Mr Ji, is set to launch their UK debut site in Soho this November, at 72 Old Compton Street. Shelley Sandzer, leading specialist UK leisure property agency, have secured the 1,000 sq ft unit on behalf of the brand.
The new restaurant is the first permanent home for the brand, following a successful pop-up in Camden, with an interior designed by Mystery that will reflect the neon-lit night markets found in Taipei. The concept is based around crispy fried chicken dusted with flavourful powders, from butterflied chicken breasts to mini bites to chicken thigh ‘burgers’. Sweet potato doughnuts will be served as a dessert option, and a variety Taiwanese teas will be on offer, including alcohol-infused options to emphasise the night market feel.
This new venture, entering the UK for the first time, builds upon the popularity of the fried chicken market in London, delivering a modern and sustainable take on Taiwanese food and drink to both grab-and-go and dine-in customers.
Etai Page, Restaurant Acquisitions Agent at Shelley Sandzer, said: “Mr Ji is a new entrant in the fried chicken market, and we are certain that the location we have secured will play a leading role in their success. The brand was looking for a premises that would suit office workers, students, and tourists, and our knowledge of the London market helped find this great spot in the heart of the West End.”
Samuel Haim, Founder of Mr Ji, added: “I’m looking forward to bringing my modern and sustainable take on Taiwanese fried chicken to Old Compton Street, using fantastic quality chicken and punchy powders. Thanks to Shelley Sandzer, we have a prime location in Soho which meets our needs and will allow us to grow our unique brand.”
Shelley Sandzer is a leading and dynamic agency, specialising in the restaurant and leisure property sector. The company provides considered and valued advice to many of the UK’s most highly regarded restaurant brands, centres, developments high streets and landlords, via a lateral thinking team with an unparalleled knowledge and understanding of the leisure business. Shelley Sandzer is also known for the key role it plays in launching new entrants and unique concepts to the market, such as Duddell’s, Honey & Smoke, Frame, and Sweet Chick.
