Posted:24-January-2025
I Loved YouMeSushi so much I Became a Franchisee
Moutasim Syed is QSR professional with many years’ experience in the industry including as a former Subway franchisee. In 2021 Moutasim became YouMeSushi’s very first franchisee.
Moutasim Syed explains: “I used to visit the YouMeSushi restaurant in Shepherd’s Bush in London with my family. We loved the fresh food, which was so much better than other sushi brands. I also enjoyed the warm welcome we always received. Often sushi restaurants can be very high end and a little exclusive, but at YouMeSushi there is something for everyone, the food is great value as well as being absolutely delicious.
“I reached out to YouMeSushi, interested in becoming a franchisee in 2021. Fast forward three years and I now run three YouMeSushi outlets: one in Stratford, one in Wembley and one in Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex.
“The support from the YouMeSushi team to help me set up has been outstanding. They assisted with equipment selection, site sourcing, arrangement of the leases, in addition to working with the contractors on the store fit outs and ensured my team and myself were trained well. Really, I had very little to do except open the store and begin trading! This exceptional franchise support plus the fabulous food, ‘handmade with love’ has ensured customers keep coming back for more.
The Stratford restaurant opened strongly and since then, competitors have come and gone but it is a testament to the high quality of our fresh food that we are still our customer’s number one choice and the repeat business is strong. The unit is one of the biggest within the network and it’s run by my team of seven, so there is scope for increasing eat-in options in the future which is an exciting prospect.
Wembley is a unit located in a high footfall area so it’s always busy. We have a team of five and I know I speak for them when I say one of our highlights was supplying fresh sushi for both teams of players during a very important cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea. The managers were looking for a fresh, nutritious food option and we were delighted to deliver. Our fresh sushi catered perfectly for their needs!
From a business perspective, I have found that the return on investment has been far quicker for YouMeSushi than other QSR brands I’ve worked with. In addition, the initial investment is lower and we don’t need large numbers of staff to manage the stores. The head office team are also great to work with. Tim Circus, Head of Franchise, particularly deserves a mention – he is so helpful and ensures the lines of communication are excellent. If we need any assistance, nothing is too much trouble.
I believe one of the strongest aspects of the YouMeSushi franchise opportunity is the quality of the food and the varying menu. It is constantly evolving and expanding in line with customer preferences. If a new menu choice is very popular, it will be added as a permanent choice while a slower-selling product is taken off. This means we are dynamic and respond to trends in taste and to what our customers really like, ensuring there is a great variety to choose from.
It's hard to pick, but my personal favourite must be salmon and cream cheese – it’s simple but delicious.
In-store, our Chicken Katsu Curry always goes down well. Succulent chicken breast fried in panko breadcrumbs, served on rice, garnished with fresh spring onions, crisp cucumber, pink ginger, carrot, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds is a treat our customers cannot resist.
So far, it’s been an exciting journey with YouMeSushi. We are looking forward to welcoming even more customers to try fresh and unique approach to Japanese cuisine very soon.
Interested and want to know more about YouMeSushi ?
The YouMeSushi profile outlines all aspects of their franchise opportunity and allows you to contact them for further information or to ask a question.
