Camile Thai announces 15 new branches and 300 new jobs

Camile Thai is launching a rapid growth scheme and investing in drone delivery and kitchen robotics.

The restaurant franchise is currently the UK and Ireland’s fastest growing Thai food brand, and isn’t planning on slowing its expansion any time soon. It’s just announced ambitious plans for 2021, which include the launch of 15 new restaurants, creating more than 300 new full- and part-time jobs.

Seven of the 15 sites and 80 of the 300 jobs will be based in the UK, in locations including Epsom, Twickenham and Streatham in London and Surrey. The roles will cover a range of different areas, from retail and food preparation to property management and business development.

Camile Thai also plans to spend €10 million on its new tech strategy. Dedicated to offering a gourmet at-home delivery dining experience, the franchise was the first chain in Europe to deliver orders by drone. Now, it intends to automate more of its kitchen operations with robotics.

Brody Sweeney, Camile Thai’s founder, explained,

“Our suburban, delivery focussed model has proven to be pandemic proof in the last eleven months, not least in terms of revenue and sales. This has enabled us to not only push forward with our aggressive expansion plans, but also to prematurely move ahead with our main goal - our tech pivot… We see tech playing such an incremental role, not only in terms of food preparation, but also UX and, of course, delivery.”

Camile Thai is also looking forward to developing its “franchise as a service” venture, which provides flexible opportunities for franchisees with high-quality but underused commercial kitchens.

The owners of closed restaurants, bars and hotels can take advantage of the franchise’s model by offering its delivery menu and maintaining a stable income. A site in Sligo, Ireland has already taken up the opportunity, and Camile Thai plans to open five or six more outlets in the future.