Sandwich Sandwich to open first franchise location overseas

Bristol-based sandwich purveyor Sandwich Sandwich is to open its first international outpost in Dubai early next year.

Sandwich Sandwich Dubai will be the group’s first franchise venture as it looks to expand using the model in the UK and overseas.

It comes amid a period of growth for the family-run sandwich shop, which has developed a cult following for its thickly stacked sandwiches, racking up millions of views on social media with regular queues at its London and Bristol sites.

Sandwich Sandwich expanded into London for the first time in July 2024, 14 years after the business was founded in Bristol.

Founder Nick Kleiner told The Caterer of his plans to grow the portfolio to 25 sites by 2029, and the group is due to launch its biggest store to date in London’s Tottenham Court Road at the end of this month.

Conor Mckay, chief executive of the Sandwich Group, said: “Bringing the brand to Dubai as its first location outside the UK isn’t just another franchise deal — it’s the arrival of what I believe is the best sandwich ever created now going global and Dubai is the perfect city to mark this first international step.”

Kleiner added: “Conor approached us just after we had opened our first London store, which was earlier than we anticipated, showing the real appetite for what we do. We are now fully ready to support our franchise partners with complete training manuals and systems from design to operations, and hands-on guidance, and this deal marks the beginning of what we believe will be a bold, global expansion with other franchise opportunities already expressing interest, we are now in the perfect position to fully explore them and share our sandwiches with even more people around the world.”

The company was founded in 2010 as Cotham Sandwich Co and it rebranded to Sandwich Sandwich in 2012.

Sandwich Sandwich currently operates four sites across Bristol and London.