Restaurant chain Hickory’s has said it plans to open 10 new sites each year as part of ambitious expansion plans.
The BBQ smokehouse brand, which was acquired by pub giant Greene King in 2022, has said it sees a “substantial opportunity” to grow despite wider challenges facing businesses in the UK restaurant sector.
It comes amid a backdrop of rising business taxes and labour costs this month, as well as wider economic uncertainty and concerns this could impact consumer spending.
However, the brand said it has seen “strong” sales continue over recent months after continued investment from Greene King to support its growth ambitions.
Hickory’s opened six new sites in 2024 to expand to 26 locations, as part of a £25 million investment from the 2,600-site-strong pub business since the acquisition.
The companies said they will continue to invest heavily to open 10 new sites a year until at least 2027, with plans to triple the size of the chain by 2030.
The plan will include turning a number of Greene King’s existing pubs into Hickory’s to cater for changing customer demand.
John Welsh, managing director of Hickory’s, said the brand is still seeing buoyant trade, particularly in new venues, despite wider pressures on the industry.
“I don’t think we’ve had a single year where there hasn’t been significant challenges to overcome and at the moment it is no different,” he said.
“We’ve still been seeing a strong performance because we keep our focus on delivering a great experience for customers.
“With the investment, we’ve been able to focus on our proposition and introduce more customers to it.”
The investment plans will see Greene King and Hickory’s invest £10 million this year, which will include funding for refurbishments of existing venues.
This will include a £1 million investment at its original restaurant in Chester, where the firm was founded in 2010.
Greene King chief executive Nick Mackenzie added: “We knew Hickory’s was a brilliant brand with a unique proposition when we made our initial investment, but it has been great to see the expansion of the brand really resonate with guests.
“At a time when the sector is facing significant pressures and layering of costs, Hickory’s growth provides a blueprint for our investment strategy to drive the brand’s expansion, unlock value and delight Hickory’s guests.
“We’re looking forward to working with John and the team to build on this success and continue to grow the Hickory’s estate into a truly national brand to share its smokehouse experience with more of our guests across the UK.”
