Hummus Bar – Create Your Own!

Hummus is popular amongst a diverse range of consumers, but younger customers particularly favour it. Students and young professionals, alongside middle-class families, have driven a surge in demand for hummus and made it one of the most attractive investment opportunities on the market. Here, we take a look at how you can take advantage of the hummus boom and launch your own hummus bar franchise.

Hummus bar franchise

Though hummus was available from UK supermarkets from the end of the ‘80s, the idea of a hummus bar is relatively new. Middle Eastern restaurants have a long and storied history in London and many other UK cities, but they rarely elevated hummus to centre stage. However, changing eating and shopping habits have now made this a possibility.

Although food trends come and go, hummus has remained popular amongst UK consumers for a considerable amount of time. The first hummus bars began emerging in 2005 and were highly successful. However, with the onset of the Great Recession in the late ‘00s, brands struggled to establish themselves on the high street. This resulted in a number of the more prominent brands closing and significant gap in the market developed.

Now, many franchises are emerging in an attempt to exploit the growing demand for high street hummus bars.

Hummus bar London

It's certainly true that some markets will be more receptive to hummus bars than others. Any would-be hummus franchisee needs to understand both the spending and eating habits of their target market. Cosmopolitan cities with a diverse population and an appreciation for international cuisine are likely to welcome such a restaurant far more than smaller, more homogenous cities and towns. This makes London a popular choice among investors. However, the appeal of hummus bars isn’t just limited to the capital – cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Southampton are all excellent options, too. This is demonstrated clearly by the success of the country’s most reputable hummus bar – Humpit.

Humpit

Over a period of five years, Humpit has grown quickly to become the biggest hummus-based brand in the country. The business specialises in pitta, hummus, salads, pickles, and falafel, and has gone from strength to strength, now boasting five locations across the UK. Interestingly, none of these was launched in the capital. The business is now looking to expand into the mobile food truck sector and is exploring the different ways in which they can further develop the franchise. The primary way in which it hopes to achieve this is by attracting high-quality candidates who want to become an essential part of the Humpit team.

A brief history of Humpit

Humpit was established in 2014 by a group of young entrepreneurs with love for this Middle Eastern staple. However, no matter how hard they looked, they struggled to find a decent restaurant that served hummus in the traditional manner. So they went out and set one up themselves.

Having launched as a pop-up at the world-famous Corn Exchange in Leeds, Humpit went on to win the Virgin Start-up Street Food Winner at the 2015 Foodpreneur Festival. Following this success, a location was established in Sheffield, and Leeds Uni approached the business to see if they wished to open a position within the Student Union. This proved a remarkably astute and profitable business move. In February 2018, the company’s roster of restaurants expanded to include a new location in York. This proved the franchise’s most challenging location to date, but the residents and diners of York have ensured that the restaurant cannot be considered anything but a resounding success.

What level of investment is required to become a franchisee?

To become a franchisee, you must be prepared to make an initial investment of approximately £30,000. However, the total investment required to launch the business successfully is likely to be closer to £70,000. A large portion of this investment can be acquired via a borrowing arrangement with a major lender, though at least some of investment must come in the form of personal assets.

The total amount required to launch a Humpit franchise will also vary depending on your chosen location, size of the business premises, and style of eatery. This is worth bearing in mind, as it means those with access to less capital to invest may still be able to finance a Humpit franchise.

What do you receive in return for your investment?

In return for your investment, franchisees will receive help selecting a location, fitting it out, preparing it for business, and marketing the launch. All franchisees enrol on a comprehensive training programme that covers all the basics required to operate the franchise, as well as practical food hygiene and preparation education. The franchisor also provides ongoing support to all franchisees and are recognised as having developed an excellent support network. As a relatively small franchise, you can rest assured that you'll receive all the help you require and that sufficient attention will be paid to your franchise unit.

What kind of franchisee is Humpit looking for?

Humpit is looking for individuals with a great work ethic, who are willing to give their all to make their franchise unit a success. Relevant experience in the food or hospitality industries is a big bonus, and all applicants will need to demonstrate that they have the self-confidence to manage their business independently when necessary. Excellent communication skills are also vital to the role, as are basic business management abilities.

Are there alternatives to Humpit?

Currently, there are relatively few alternatives to Humpit. In fact, there is no direct competition in the franchising sector. While there are some privately owned companies operating in the same market, there is no obvious market leader. This makes Humpit a remarkably attractive investment opportunity. Alternatively, entrepreneurs could look to launch their own hummus bar with the intention of eventually adopting a franchise model and expanding in this manner.