IRO Sushi total system sales increased by 28% to £11.1m in the 26 weeks to 30 June 2026, driven by its continued expansion across the UK.
In the year so far, the sushi brand has opened four new stores in Woking, Tunbridge Wells, Maidenhead and Bristol, all of which are trading “ahead of expectations”. The group noted a “particularly strong” performance in Woking, which was the first store to showcase the new izakaya-inspired store design.
IRO Sushi now has a string of additional new openings confirmed for the second half of 2026. This includes in Basingstoke, Salisbury, Ipswich, and a new location in south London. This looks to support the group’s growth strategy to scale up to 100 stores by 2030.
Over the period, the business also saw like-for-like sales rise by 20%, supported by new product development and menu innovation.
The brand’s ‘IRO Favourite Rolls’ have now become its third most-selected product category, alongside high unit growth for drinks (+34%) and Maki Rolls (+28%).
The like-for-like sales growth was also supported by continued investment in IRO Sushi’s brand and sourcing, with new digital marketing campaigns to build customer loyalty and a continued focus on ingredient provenance to drive advocacy.
“Tapping into the UK’s growing love for sushi and Japanese cuisine, we’re aiming to become the go-to brand for expertly rolled, made-to-order sushi and authentic Japanese curries and hot dishes,” said IRO Sushi founder and CEO Chhong Sherpa. “We’ve started this year strongly, with strong growth and a string of new openings, but we really feel we are only just getting started.
“We see a huge opportunity to build on our UK footprint and bring IRO Sushi to every major town and city across the UK to cement our brand as a household name, while also exploring opportunities to expand internationally. We want to end the days of substandard sushi and give UK consumers a true taste of authentic Japanese rolls for every occasion.”
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