Sun 14th Aug 2022 - Kelly’s Deli reports UK turnover and profit surge after expansion, reports best year internationally Kelly’s Deli reports UK turnover and profit surge after expansion, reports best year internationally: Kelly’s Deli, the sushi kiosk business founded by South Korean Kelly Choi, has reported UK turnover rose by 138% to £56,426,035 (2020: £38.046,051) in the year to December 2021. Profit before tax was £2,487,852 (2020: £896,543) as the company grew sites, branded as Sushi Daily, to 154 compared to 118 the year before. The company says its products are prepared fresh each day at kiosks. It said it had achieved growth every year since it was founded in 2015 except for 2020. It is offsetting its emissions by funding solar cookers in the rural area of Zhanhye, China. “The project will enable the rural residents to efficiently substitute solar energy for the coal used in daily cooking and water boiling,” it stated. A dividend of £1,517,427 was paid (2020: £950,000). No government grants were receivable compared to £117,491 the previous year under the job retention scheme. Kelly Choi owns 60% of parent company Jimiki. The parent company oversees 981 franchised stores across Europe and Mexico, opening 96 kiosks in the year. Its other brands are Bam Tuk, Korma Kitchen and Tuk Tuk. In its best international year since it was founded 12 years ago, it reported sales up 27% to 446m euros (2020: 335m euros) with like-for-like sales up 12%. It stated: “Our top three markets of France, Italy and the UK performed ahead of expectations at 31% sales growth versus 2020. (We) launched in Mexico, our first region outside of Europe, with Soriana supermarket, a leading retailer in the region. Costs continue to be tightly managed across the business with moderate growth of 8% versus the 2020 financial year. The company made a pre-tax profit of 31,417,078 euros (2020: 23,248,530). Kelly Choi was denied access to high school through lack of family funds. Instead, she moved to Seoul and funded her own tuition at night school. She later moved to Japan to immerse herself in Japanese culture – and sushi in particular. Kelly’s Deli is included in the latest Propel Turnover & Profits Blue Book, which was sent out to Premium subscribers on Friday (19 August). The Blue Book provides an insight into UK operator turnover and profitability over five years, profit conversion and directors’ earnings. Premium subscribers also receive the New Openings Database, produced in association with StarStock; the Multi-Site Operators Database, produced in association with Virgate; and the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £895 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £445 plus VAT for operators and £545 plus VAT for suppliers. Email jo.charity@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription. Subscribers also receive access to Propel’s library of lockdown videos and Friday Wrap interviews and have access to a curated video library of the sector’s finest leaders and entrepreneurs, offering their insights on running outstanding businesses in the sector. Premium subscribers also receive their morning newsletter 11 hours early, at 7pm the evening before our 6am send-out; regular video content and regular exclusive columns from Propel group editor Mark Wingett.