Lucky B’s

About Lucky B’s

A hot chicken concept based in Glasgow, Lucky B’s was founded by friends Giancarlo Celino and Toni Dobrenko and it opened its debut site in the Giffnock area of Glasgow in September 2022. This was followed by its first franchise site, on Paisley Road West in the city’s Cardonald area, in May 2024. Celino, who runs three Catch Fish and Chips restaurants in Glasgow, and Dobrenko, who owns Toni’s Pizzeria in the city, came up with the idea for Lucky B’s when travelling in the deep south of the US, where “hot chicken” is huge. The chicken pieces are deep fried and trebled coated in hot sauce, with levels of spice then added as toppings. The company’s then head of franchising David Moffat, who as Hero Brands group operations helped grow German Doner Kebab (GDK) to 100-plus sites, told Propel in March 2024 he sees similar growth potential fort Lucky B’s. “When I joined GDK it had nine sites and when I left it had more than 100,” Moffat told Propel. “If we get it right, we could open 100-plus Lucky B’s over five years. We have three in the pipeline and up to 25 expressions of interest. In May 2024, Lucky B’s signed up Subway franchisee Ross Fairbairn as a master franchisee for a 15-store deal across Lancashire. Fairbairn, who has operated Subway franchisee Quick Serv since 2017 and grown it to 22 stores across Lancashire, Merseyside and Cumbria, said: “I am happy to share that I’m starting a new position as a Lucky B’s master franchisee/director, supporting the growth of the brand across Lancashire.” The first of these opened in Blackpool in early 2025. In September 2024, Lucky B’s first franchisees acquired their second store, as the business started to attract interest from overseas. Usman and Sohail Ghafu added the original Lucky B’s store in Giffnock to their portfolio and are already looking at locations for a third. “We are delighted that Usman and Sohil have decided to become not only our first franchisees, but our first multi-unit franchisees,” said Celino. “They truly believe in the business and want to be part of this incredible journey we are going on.” Dobrenko added: "The interest we have had in Lucky B’s has been immense. We have had enquiries from across the UK, and even some really interesting discussion from groups in Dubai and South Africa.” The company is also lining up a third store in Glasgow, while Fairbairn has secured a second English site, in Burnley. In July 2025, Lucky B’s said it is aiming to grow to ten stores this year as it works towards a long-term goal of 100-plus locations nationwide and is putting the finishing touches to some international partnerships.

Why franchise with Lucky B’s

• ✓Lucky B’s is looking to expand in towns and cities that offer strong economic growth, good population density and high footfall areas as essential. In sees Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol, Newcastle, Sheffield, Cardiff, Milton Keynes, Brighton and Hove and London as promising areas for growth. It is ideally looking for sites starting at 1,000-2,000 square feet, on or off the high street, corner locations with good footfall, near residential areas and close to local amenities. It also offers a container version of its stores, contained within a 44ft shipping container – ideal for shopping centres or boxparks, or which can be mobile for use at events and festivals. Project costs are £240,000 capital investment from the client, and an additional £1,000 cash float for opening. Pre-opening costs include shop fitting (£170,000), equipment (£84,500), tills and IT (£13,850), fixed hard costs (£8,000), office and marketing (£1,650), site variables (£3,000), licenses (£2,280) opening staff and stock (£4,350) and legal costs (£3,500). Franchise fee is £14,000 per store and 8% franchise fee thereafter, subject to the development agreement. Development timeline for a tier one franchise is one store in year one, two in year two and three in year three. Development timeline for a tier two franchise is one store in year one, three in year two and five in year three. “Whether you're a seasoned restaurateur or a newcomer, franchising with Lucky B’s offers a unique chance to expand your portfolio with a brand as exciting as dependable,” the business said. “As a franchisee, you'll receive comprehensive training, ongoing operational support, and marketing assistance to ensure success. We’re committed to supporting you every step of the way, from site selection and build-out to grand opening and beyond. Our management team has created a sound infrastructure for sustainable growth for the past two years. We are a technology-focused company that has successfully utilised various useful platforms. The feature-rich Revel iPad POS system has every tool we need to run an efficient business. Its features include 24/7 support, vast amounts of reports and analytics, and integrated payment processing.”

Investment breakdown