What-Franchise-Issue-20.1

hungry to take on franchisees who can propel the business even further. “Franchisees must have a young mindset because this business must flow, it doesn’t stay in one place,” says Jong Soon. He sees the appeal here being the low-cost investment and low-level operations, enabling franchisees to take advantage of the East Asian boom without the responsibilities that come with a sector like food and beverage. “This business is a really low cost,” he says. There’s only the royalty and the photo frame and print fee. It doesn’t have food costs and you don’t need to hire a lot of people. This is about maintaining the shop nicely.Whether it’s going to be you or it’s going to be your manager.” Gourmet Sushi Home grown sushi franchise, Gourmet Sushi, was established in 2016 by Nuriddin Shamsutdinov, off the back of more than a decade of experience in the Japanese food industry. Although founded in London, the brand has aimed to retain elements of Japanese culture and cuisine within its dishes, while finely balancing the nuances of the UK market – something it views as it’s biggest challenge as well as a contributor to it’s success so far. “One of our biggest challenges has been adapting to traditional Japanese cuisine to local tastes without losing authenticity, says Nuriddin.“We’ve overcome this by staying true to our roots while remaining flexible in how we present our dishes.” The menu comprises sushi such as nigiri, crunch rolls, and maki – dishes all aimed at placing traditional dishes at the foundations, while making additions to accommodate British consumers. Getting this balance right can be difficult, but Gourmet Sushi has taken a ground up approach, consulting its customers throughout on its innovations. “Listening to customer feedback has been key – offering modern twists and adjusting for local preferences while never compromising on quality on tradition,” says Nuriddin. Knowledge of Japanese culture has been a vital part of including traditional aspects within the business and this has extended to staff and franchisee training. “We have strict internal guidelines to ensure cultural authenticity across all aspects of our operations,” says Nuriddin. “This includes sourcing key ingredients where possible, training chefs appropriately, and CHINA In the 1970s and 80s an influx of families came to the UK. Some began setting up take-away shops in city and surburban areas, with many stores taking over old fish and chip shops, which prompted them to tailor their menu to unfamiliar taste buds. JAPAN Sushi was very much reserved to the confines of fine dining until the 1990s when conveyer belt sushi introduced the cuisine to the masses. Other cultural exports, such as manga, were a big part of this propelling interest from consumers. SOUTH KOREA This decade has witnessed the rise of South Korea’s influence across music, fashion, food, and beauty - a phenomenon known as the hallyu wave. It has enabled many Korean- based brands to surge into the mainstream which has generated further custom. A S H O R T H I S T O R Y “We’ve worked hard to create a brand that honours the depth and sophistication of Japanese culture. We focus on subtle, respectful nods to the culture, such as deep respect for balance and presentation, rather than overt symbols that may feel reductive or commercialised” 52 WHAT FRANCHISE Issue 20.1