Hero Brands, the popular culture platform, has continued to drive the growth of the brands across its stable as it reports its latest financial results.
Pre-tax profit was £3.8m to the year end Dec 31st 2023, with dividends of £6m. The group is currently on track to deliver £2.5m group EBITDA in 2024.
Hero Brands is a platform for incubating a number of F&B brands which include German Doner Kebab, Choppaluna and Dirty Bones.
The category-defining brands respond to the modern consumer, making Hero one of the most exciting F&B groups in the UK, with over 70 restaurants in London across its various brands and over 200 restaurants across the globe.
The Glasgow-based group is also pioneering within the creator and talent IP space through the launch of Nashville HOT fried-chicken brand, Sides, in collaboration with Europe’s largest YouTube collective The Sidemen.
Sides has secured a development partner in the UK to roll-out 200 stores over the next ten years as well as in Singapore where the brand plans to open 40 restaurants during the next decade.
There has also been an exciting retail partnership with Iceland, where Side’s exclusive frozen product range is positioned in dedicated freezer cabinets. Iceland’s Hackney store was rebranded as “Sidesland’ to mark the launch of the collaboration.
Further talent licencing partnerships include music and style icon Stefflon Don and the world’s biggest TikToker Khaby Lame.
Today, the modern influencing platform’s talent partners have a combined reach of over 600m followers across various social channels, shaping connection and synergies with young and modern consumer spending behaviours.
Meanwhile, German Doner Kebab has created a new exciting category and continues to strengthen its position as the world’s leading kebab brand. According to a 2023 Savanta Survey, GDK ranked as the top five most loved QSR brand in the UK.
GDK’s system-wide sales globally were £163.7m to the year-end Dec 31st 2023.
GDK opened 19 new restaurants globally during the 2023 financial period and a further 16 in 2024, with a more aggressive development pipeline secured for 2025.
German Doner Kebab is revolutionising the kebab in the UK and across global growth regions, bringing a fresh, high-quality taste sensation that has made it the number one spot to enjoy a kebab at any time of the day. Now employing over 4,500 people in its restaurants all around the world the group is well placed for significant growth over the next 5 years.
With consistent growth delivered across the UK and Middle East, GDK has development plans in place to expand across other key locations globally.
Hero Brands Chairman Athif Sarwar said: “We are entering an exciting period of growth for Hero Brands as we create category defining brands that respond to the modern consumer.
“Our talent platform is also giving our collaborators across music, fashion and culture the opportunity to develop authentic brand partnerships, as well as the ability to licence their own ideas and create high-value sustainable brands.”
