Rosa's Thai brand cites continuing growth amid rapid expansion

Turnover at the restaurant group grew from £5.5m to £8.1m in the year to 31 March, with the brand experiencing like-for-like growth of 9% for the first half of the current financial year.

Chief financial officer Tom Kristensen told BigHospitality’s sister publication MCA that trading had softened slightly into October but said he expected trade to pick up when colder weather arrives.

“Warm weather is not good for us,” says Kristensen. “Thai food likes cold weather.”

Saiphin and Alex Moore, the husband and wife duo behind the Thai brand, recently appointed Grant Thornton as it assesses its funding options to support future growth, with a potential sale of a stake in the 11-strong chain on the cards. The Moores are planning to open further sites of sister brand Lao Café and also a specialist Thai noodle restaurant.

Rosa’s Thai will open a site in Tower Bridge in February, and its first regional site will launch early next year after signing heads of terms on premises in Liverpool’s Albert Dock area. There is still scope for four to five more restaurants in the capital, according to Kristensen.

In the summer, the company appointed Gavin Adair, formerly of Wahaca, as its new managing director, ahead of its next stage of development.

Rosa’s Thai Café began in 2006 as a market stall on London’s Brick Lane. It has undergone rapid expansion over the past two years, having secured £1.8m of funding in 2016 from Santander.