SpudBros Express is starting its UAE rollout, Propel reports, with an ambition to become a global fast-casual brand. The jacket potato brand signed an area development agreement with Forward Hospitality in August and, according to Restaurant Online, has launched a 2,190 square foot flagship at 4 Princes Street in London.
Propel’s 5 November headline reads “SpudBros Express targets wider Gulf growth as UAE rollout begins, ambition to become global fast-casual brand”. The detail sits behind its subscription, so the number of UAE sites and the opening dates are not known from that story. The facts below come from earlier reports.
The UAE agreement
The Business Desk reported on 19 August that SpudBros Express had signed an exclusive area development agreement with the UAE hospitality operator Forward Hospitality. It grants exclusive multi-unit development rights across the UAE and is the brand’s first venture outside the UK. MCA Insight described it as a multi-unit franchise agreement that could see multiple restaurants and food trucks launched across the country. The first site is scheduled for The Galleria Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, according to the Business Desk’s summary.
SpudBros Express
The future of QSR
- Restaurant
- 6 Locations
- Liquid capital: £100000
The Princes Street flagship
Restaurant Online reported on 30 October that SpudBros Express has launched a 2,190 square foot flagship at 4 Princes Street, just off Regent Street, and that the brand has six million followers across Instagram and TikTok. Sophie Moorcroft, leasing manager for hospitality and culture at The Crown Estate, said reaching full occupancy at Princes Street reflected demand from hospitality brands. No opening date or operator is stated in the article.
The UK franchise model
SpudBros Express launched a restaurant and takeaway franchise concept in April 2025 in partnership with the food company Taster, according to Franchise World. Taster chief executive Bertrand Peyrat described it as a way of redefining the British takeaway, and Seeds Consulting was appointed to handle franchise enquiries. The sources read give no fees, royalties or UK site count. For related ground, see our guide on how to start a food truck business.
What is not yet public
No readable source gives the number of UAE sites, the opening date of the Abu Dhabi site, the UK site count or the franchise terms. MCA Insight calls the UAE deal a franchise agreement and the Business Desk calls it an area development agreement, and neither says whether Forward Hospitality is a master franchisee.
