Mon 4th Jul 2022 - Hero Brands invests in Dirty Bones to drive UK growth Hero Brands invests in Dirty Bones to drive UK growth: Hero Brands, which is behind German Doner Kebab, Choppaluna and Island Poké, has invested in US comfort food and cocktails brand Dirty Bones to drive its UK growth. Hero Brands said using its extensive franchising knowledge and network, talks are already underway with key franchise partners regarding new Dirty Bones locations, to be open by the end of the year. The strategic partnership also see Hero Brands join the Dirty Bones board alongside co-founders, Cokey Sulkin and Dipak Panchal and early investors Hard Yards Global. From 2023 onwards, the partnership will enable the brand to increase its footprint through owner-operated sites, franchisees, and via delivery, with “multiple” locations expected within the coming years. Despite the impact of the pandemic, Dirty Bones opened a new flagship site in 2021, adding to its sites across London and Oxford, as well as expanding its delivery footprint and launching a successful e-commerce brand. The group also recently launched its latest bar concept, Roxanne, a hip-hop focused speakeasy. Sulkin said: “Hero Brands experience in the franchising space is second to none and we are excited to share a mutual passion for food, music and fashion. This partnership allows us to put a joint focus on creating authentic, good fun dining experiences and we look forward to building a truly global brand, something that we have worked hard to curate over the last few years.” With a growing portfolio of innovative fashion, health and media brands, Dirty Bones will be Hero Brands’ first move into the casual-dining space. Its portfolio includes German Doner Kebab, which is now forging ahead with expansion plans in the UK and globally, with 700 franchisees already signed up to its global growth strategy. It also includes Island Poké and Choppaluna, the fast, fresh, food-to-go salad concept that is set to embark on global expansion this year with plans to bring its offering to numerous key sites across the UK. Hero Brands is also behind virtual fried chicken concept, Sides, which has been developed in collaboration with YouTube collective The Sidemen. Athif Sarwar, chairman of Hero Brands, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside the talented team at Dirty Bones. Hero Brands is dedicated to building brands of the future. People want to have a great and affordable dining experience and be entertained too – our brands respond to this through our ethos of connecting music, food and fashion and we look forward to co-developing this proposition further with the incredible team at Dirty Bones.”