Kokoro

About Kokoro

A Japanese homemade sushi and hot food takeaway, Kokoro was founded in the UK in 2010 by Rak-Kyu Park. Starting out in Kingston-upon-Thames, it has since expanded to circa 83 UK sites. In May 2023, Kokoro said inflationary pressures had forced the business to shelve its expansion plans as full-year sales were impacted by a fall in consumer confidence.

In June 2024, Kokoro said is pausing its “aggressive growth strategy” and revealed it made two price increases in the space of three months amid the “volatile economic environment”. The company stated: “For the time being, Kokoro will transition from pursuing aggressive growth to carefully monitoring the surrounding conditions and gradually solidifying the business strategy.

“Amidst the challenging landscape shaped by global events such as the ongoing Ukraine War, lsrael-Hamas conflict, the Suez canal crisis and the repercussions of the Bank of England's interest rate hike, Kokoru, like its peers in the food and beverage sector, faced notable pressure. The necessity to adapt to a volatile economic environment was evident as Kokoro implemented price increases in August and November 2023, potentially having negative impacts on sales figures.”

In August 2025, Kokoro said it is exploring expansion into the EU market. It said: “Asan Investment is committed to expanding Kokoro's presence across the UK, leveraging a balanced approach that includes franchise partnerships and joint ventures, while exploring expansion into the EU market.

“This strategic expansion aims to achieve nationwide coverage while maintaining the brand's standards and values. Recruiting franchise partners who align with Kokoro's philosophy and providing extensive support to joint venture partners are integral to the group's growth strategy, ensuring sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships.”

In May 2026, Kokoro said it is transitioning its joint-venture stores to franchises “to create a more streamlined and scalable operational model”. The company said: “The group is committed to expanding Kokoro’s presence across the UK and has established a strategic focus on growth primarily through a franchise-led model. This approach has been adopted to enhance management oversight and improve operational efficiency across the group's network. As part of this strategy, the group is undertaking a transition of existing joint-venture stores to a franchise structure to create a more streamlined and scalable operating model.

“The group also plans to expand its presence in regions where its footprint is currently limited, including Scotland, Wales and Central London. This strategic shift aims to achieve nationwide coverage while maintaining the brand’s standards and values. Recruiting franchise partners who align with Kokoro’s philosophy and providing structured support to franchise operators remains integral to the group’s growth strategy.”

In August 2026, Kokoro said it will open its first site in Birmingham later this year.

Why franchise with Kokoro

• ✓License fee is £30,000 plus VAT, payable on signing the franchise agreement. Royalty is a monthly sum equal to 6% of gross turnover. Franchise license fee includes 10-year license fee, territory protection, operations manual and representation on the company’s main website. Set-up support packages include marketing graphics and opening support. Franchisees receive training sessions including food preparation, fish handling, cooking, administration and PR.
• ✓Once franchisees open their stores, the company “will be there to hold their hands until their businesses stabilise”. The company said: “Nestled in Kingston-upon-Thames, Kokoro started out as a small Korean-Japanese restaurant in 2010. With only three tables available at the start, Kokoro has expanded into a booking franchise with over 78 locations across the UK.
• ✓“Kokoro’s success can be attributed to our customers’ appreciation for our authentic and delicious meals, supported by good service through reliable quality management in sourcing and packaging. The key to success is simple; you keep the food tasty, fresh and healthy. The hard part is how you do it and how you maintain it. Kokoro in Japanese translates to ‘heart, mind or soul’.
• ✓“These are the most important ingredients in Kokoro’s food. Currently, Kokoro is undergoing rapid growth as a franchisor and is ready to share its success stories and invaluable advice that stems from our past experiences accumulated with our prospective franchisees. We have a strong track record of fast growth, even over the covid-19 pandemic, and we still have plenty of open territories for prospective franchisees.”