Island Poke

About Island Poke

London-based White Rabbit Projects and Hero Brands-backed business selling Pacific-inspired poke bowls, with 50,000 possible variations, James Gould-Porter founded Island Poke after being inspired by childhood summers on Californian beaches. He started selling his poke from a street food market before setting up his first bricks-and-mortar site, in Soho’s Kingly Street, in 2016. It has since spread to 16 sites in the capital and one in Brighton, and in 2020 opened its first restaurant in France.

In April 2022, the company said it had begun to embark on a “national and international journey” and a “period of huge growth”, with plans to open 100 locations across the UK in the next five years, including a new partnership with dark-kitchen operator Reef. Also in 2022, Island Poke made its regional debut with an opening in Bicester, switched to using only halal meat and trialled going fully halal at its Wembley store. In 2023, it opened its first site in the north, in Newcastle, and made its Scottish debut with a site in Edinburgh, before launching its first loyalty app.

Island Poke was rescued via a pre-pack administration in June 2024 when it was acquired by IP Topco, a subsidiary of WRP Holdco, the White Rabbit Projects and McWin joint venture, which holds shares in the business. It had previously been speculated that the company was set for a restructuring via a company voluntary arrangement (CVA). A statement from the joint administrators said while the CVA had been put to creditors and was widely supported by them, it became apparent to the directors from daily trading that the forecasts on which the CVA was built “were not likely to be deliverable, thereby undermining the viability of the proposal, which was scheduled to continue for five years.”

A report from the administrators revealed further background details to the administration. “Having initially experienced rapid growth to 2020, the company faced a downturn in trade due to covid-19 and was forced to use the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to sustain operations,” it said. “In 2021, the company secured funding from external investors to assist with strategic growth, in addition to increasing staffing across the stores. However, trade through to 2023 was met with less than originally anticipated levels of growth, and with an increased employee base, including head office overheads, the company faced significant cash flow pressure and creditor arrears started to build.

“Moving into 2024, the company made changes to the menus and introduced the provision of hot food, alongside reducing the price point in an attempt to increase turnover. Due to the non-payment of the outstanding rental arrears, in early May 2024, the landlord of the company’s Waterloo premises forfeited its lease. With creditor pressure continuing to build, the directors proposed a CVA, but with revenue falling behind forecasts, the directors determined this no longer represented a viable option.”

In July 2025, Island Poke was acquired by Hawaiian poké specialist Honi Poké. The deal added 18 Island Poke sites to Honi Poke’s portfolio - nine in London and nine in France. Honi Poke operates 24 UK sites and three in Cyprus. Co-founder Vladimir Martynov said: “Island Poke has played a huge role in popularising poke across the UK and Europe, and we’re incredibly proud to bring our two brands together. The idea is to grow two brands side by side. We are planning to convert some units into Honi Poké, but others will remain where we have sites overlapping/too close to each other.” Propel understands that Island Poke will continue to franchise under its new ownership.

In December 2025, Honi Poké said its next stage of growth will see Island Poké locations begin transitioning into Honi Poke stores throughout 2026, starting with Shoreditch, Broadgate and Fenchurch. Alongside this, Island Poké will evolve into a delivery-first brand, focused on evening dining, group occasions and at-home experiences, while retaining Bow Lane as its flagship store.

The company said: “The repositioning reflects changing consumer behaviours and clearer distinctions between how and when people choose to eat, with in-store dining increasingly centred around everyday lunch and convenience occasions, and delivery playing a growing role in evening and group dining. This shift will enable Island Poké to focus on what it does best - innovation, beyond the traditional lunchtime occasion.”

Gould-Porter left the business in January 2026, and in March 2026, Honi Poke said it is exploring growth opportunities through new franchise partnerships across the UK and France. By the end of 2026, all UK sites will have been converted to Honi Poke, aside from the Bow Street flagship.

Why franchise with Island Poke

• ✓Island Poke hires on “personality and attitude” and claims to never stop developing its franchisees, through constant workshops and online resources. It offers a fully managed supply chain and embraces technology, with an app for ordering and back-of-house fully digitised. Locations available are kiosks (from 20 square metres), grab-and-go (from 40-60 square metres) and dine-in (from 60-100+ square metres). The company will provide interactive guides and manuals, business and audit support and management and reporting tools. Franchisees must have hospitality experience and be an expert in their region, and having the liquidity to start and fund the business (around £1m) is essential. Island Poke is ideally looking for partners with the liquidity to open and provide operational cash flow for their first three units as a minimum, and to eventually develop and area of at least five or more units.