Rapid growth is on the menu for Newcastle burger restaurant chain Fat Hippo as it invests in further venues around the UK to support its expansion plans.

Founder Mike Phillips was a student at Northumbria University when he wrote the original business plan for the Fat Hippo Group ahead of its launch 13 years ago. The first restaurant in Jesmond proved to be such a success that new openings swiftly followed, taking its current tally to eight, including Newcastle city centre, Durham, Leeds, Birmingham, Liverpool, Cardiff and Nottingham, plus a street food fleet that travels across the UK.

Now the popular chain has announced it is in the process of acquiring new city centre sites in Edinburgh, Reading, Bath and Chester, in deals brokered by Newcastle based property specialist @retail. The move will support the company’s ambitions to grow its operations this year, as it sees burgeoning demand from consumers for its range of beef and chicken burgers, fries and vegan options.

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Investment in these sites, will provide an additional 18,000 sqft of retail floorspace, and will extend the chain’s property portfolio to 23 units by the end of 2023, creating dozens of new full and part-time jobs to add to its existing 350 employees across the group.

Further new venues in Belfast, Brighton, Bristol, Manchester, Oxford, Leeds and Sheffield are also set to be secured, with agents @retail currently seeking additional sites for the company across the UK to help Fat Hippo cement its national presence.

Mr Philips, managing director, said: “We are expanding rapidly and investing in our new sites across the country as a springboard for further growth and brand success. We are delighted by the support provided by @retail, whose strategic property insight and expertise has seen us secure the right property in the right location, on the right terms.”

Ian Angus, director at @retail, said: “Fat Hippo is undoubtedly a great North East business success story as it continues to go from strength to strength. It’s also a reflection of our ability to support ambitious retailers with national expansion plans. Indeed, the importance of effectively and efficiently securing the right premises lies at the heart of successful and rapidly growing businesses like Fat Hippo, who are investing in city centre venues.”

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