Q&A: Does Turtle Bay Franchise in the UK?

Alice Tuffery, writer

Published at 09/04/2019, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

Q&A: Does Turtle Bay Franchise in the UK? — Photo © turtle-bay-logo.jpg

Turtle Bay is known across the UK for its intense flavours, refreshing cocktails and friendly service. If you’re interested in starting a Turtle Bay franchise unit, you’ve come to the right place. We’re looking at its investment options and how you can get involved.

Customers choose Turtle Bay for its chilled-out atmosphere reminiscent of Caribbean eateries. Restaurants are decorated in vibrant colours and characterised by the reggae or dancehall music pouring out from speakers. And their menus are just as memorable. You’ll find mouth-watering spice rubs, hot sauces, cool chutneys and fragrant marinades alongside colourful salads, curries, jerk grills and many more authentic Caribbean dishes.

Dining or drinking at Turtle Bay is always a fun experience, and part of this is down to the staff, who are the heart and soul of the restaurant. To find employees who reflect the restaurant’s ethos, Turtle Bay implements a rigorous recruitment process. This brand really cares about its customer experience, which is why food lovers keep coming back for more.

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History of Turtle Bay

In 2010, Ajith Jayawickrema and Crispin Tweddell opened the first Turtle Bay restaurant in Milton Keynes. The following year, they launched a Southampton branch and, in 2012, they expanded into Nottingham. Bristol was the next city to welcome the laid-back eatery, and its success enabled the brand to open their first overseas site in Germany in 2016. Today, there are 43 sites across the UK and two in Germany, hiring approximately 1,500 employees and generating a turnover of just under £70 million.

During its expansion, Las Iguanas also collaborated with investment partner Piper. This organisation has helped more than 40 brands from across the world launch over 250 new stores, bars and restaurants, and grow their digital sales by more than £300 million. Las Iguanas had just four sites when Piper came on board, and its rapid expansion generated a return on investment of 600 percent before it exited the agreement in 2007.

Does Turtle Bay franchise?

There are no Turtle Bay franchise opportunities on offer at the moment, as the brand manages its own stores.

How to get involved with Turtle Bay

If you’re keen to work under the Turtle Bay name, you can become an employee with the restaurant chain. Take a look at its careers site to see which jobs are being advertised in your local area. Current vacancies range from openings for cocktail bartenders to head chefs and restaurant managers.

The restaurant market in the UK

As consumers benefit from higher levels of disposable income, we’re eating out in restaurants more often than we have in previous decades. In fact, experts believe 43 percent of UK adults eat out at least once a week, spending an average of £18.60 each. This means the restaurant sector can generate a total revenue of just under £40 billion per year across its 88,000 businesses.

It’s clear to see; Brits are making more and more visits to restaurants to sample delicious food and socialise with friends and family. So, it’s a great time to step into the sector. Joining a restaurant franchise will give you the chance to start up a thriving outlet under a recognisable name and see success by following a proven business model. It’s not possible to launch a Turtle Bay franchise branch at the moment, but there are plenty of other investment opportunities on offer…

Similar franchise opportunities

Las Iguanas

Las Iguanas’ casual dining concept offers an authentic taste of Mexico, Peru, Brazil and Argentina. Customers can choose from various dishes and tapas options made by hand and with fresh ingredients. The Latin American franchise also offers a menu of premium cocktails, which can be bought with a two-for-one discount on ‘Happy Days’. And if you’ve got a sweet-tooth, you’ll love the restaurant’s South American-inspired dessert menu, including Churros and a Dulce de Leche Macadamia Cheesecake.

Becoming a Las Iguanas franchisee: By joining this renowned franchise, you’ll be able to offer your customers delicious food in a laid-back atmosphere. To learn more and sign up, click here.
How much you need to invest: With a total investment of £700,000 and a franchise fee of £25,000, investors can open their very own Las Iguanas franchise, adding to the 55 restaurants currently operating in the UK.
What you get for your investment: Franchisees can rest assured they will be supported every step of the way, benefitting from the brand’s training scheme, access to an online operations portal and ongoing quarterly business reviews.

Café Rouge

Café Rouge is another exciting franchise looking for investors in the UK. The French casual dining brand has established more than 90 sites across the country and, since it was founded in 1989, has become a firm favourite among many UK diners. Café Rouge covers every meal of the day, from tasty brunches and light lunches to decadent dinners and even afternoon teas for special occasions.

Becoming a Café Rouge franchisee: You need to have experience running a casual dining business, preferably with practical understanding of how to expand this in the UK or other Western European countries. To find out more and apply, click here.
How much you need to invest: If you’d like to get involved in this franchise opportunity, you’ll need to invest a minimum of £350,000 and have enough capital to make sure your Café Rouge operations enjoy good cash flow until they become profitable in their own right.
What you get for your investment: You’ll be supported by the franchise team every step of the way. The franchise support package includes state-of-the-art systems and bi-annual menu updates.

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Become a restaurant franchisee today

Today, the restaurant franchise sector is evolving, to the point where investors can offer consumers almost any international cuisine. Here, we’ve touched upon Caribbean, Mexican, Peruvian, Brazilian, Argentinian and French cuisine, but there are plenty more to get involved in. From American burger joints to Japanese restaurants, Italian street food to chicken shops and even dessert cafes, there’s a huge variety of restaurant franchises. Click here to browse our entire list of investment opportunities in the food sector.