IRO Sushi is redefining fast-food dining in the UK; one freshly made sushi roll at a time
Established by a former sushi chef in 2014, IRO Sushi (IRO) began with a clear vision to bring fresh, made-to-order Japanese cuisine to local communities across London. After setting up a handful of stores, Founder and Managing Director Chhong Sherpa sought to scale beyond his personal capacity, and so IRO’s franchise model was born.
Now with 32 stores across the UK, predominantly located in London, IRO is bringing the artistry of traditional sushi and Japanese cuisine to wider audiences, meeting increasing demand for seafood at an affordable price that doesn’t compromise on quality. Its motto ‘freshly rolled, locally served’ summarizes IRO’s approach to celebrating freshness, flavor, and cultural heritage while ensuring dishes are served with care, precision, and passion by a team of dedicated chefs.
To learn more about how IRO is revolutionizing fast-food sushi in the UK, we sit down with Chhong, who begins by explaining the founding concept behind the business. “In the UK, there are lots of fast-food chains serving burgers, chicken, and fries, but very few offer quick and healthy options, and even less serve made-to-order sushi,” Chhong begins. “Rather than fast-food outlets, sushi in the UK is typically found in either small kiosks in shopping centers, where fresh food isn’t guaranteed, or in high-end, fine dining restaurants with set menus. IRO was designed to address rising demand for accessible, high-quality sushi on the go, combining speed, precision, and convenience with culinary artistry to provide a quick-service experience for fresh and authentic sushi.
“At IRO, speed doesn’t mean shortcuts. Every roll is made fresh using premium ingredients like responsibly sourced fish, perfectly seasoned rice, and crisp, fresh vegetables. We have built strong relationships across our supply network, which helps us secure high-quality, authentic ingredients. Our chefs are trained in authentic Japanese techniques to ensure every bite delivers the flavor and texture you’d expect from high-end sushi. Whether customers order online, stop for a takeaway order, or grab a seat for a quick dine-in experience, we offer both quality and convenience, redefining how customers perceive fast-food sushi.”
Optimizing opportunities
From Spicy Rainbow Rolls to its signature Dynamite Crunchy California Rolls, IRO’s menu has something for everyone. Its sushi boxes are available in a range of options, including a salmon selection, vegan box, kids special, and a new Philly roll selection, as well as 100-piece platters for larger groups. Customers can also choose from a variety of specific sushi boxes, including maki, futomaki, uramaki, sashimi, nigiri, temaki, and super crunch, or opt for one of IRO’s signature rolls such as the popular Firecracker Roll. Alongside sushi, IRO offers a range of salads, poke bowls, fried noodles, ramen, gyozas, and hot dishes like katsu curry and chicken teriyaki.
“We continuously analyze market trends and customer data to identify new menu items or categories,” Chhong says. “Although most of our stores are in London, demand varies by location, so we also leverage data to better understand what our customers are looking for at each site. We introduce a couple of different seasonal products each year, and if any of these are particularly popular with our customers, we keep them on our permanent menu. Our seasonal products are not only a great way to generate excitement around our menu but also enable us to test how customers respond to new flavors, formats, and concepts.”
With an impressive menu and a focus on both quality and service, it’s no surprise that IRO has grown tremendously since its foundation. Having taken the London market by storm, IRO is now expanding across the UK, with recent openings in Brighton, Newbury, and Canterbury. At most of its new store openings, IRO offers special discounts and limited-time offers for early customers, including £1 chicken katsu curry, free sushi tasting, and 25 percent off the entire menu.
“We’ve also signed off new locations in Basingstoke, Salisbury, and Bristol, and we have an interesting potential opportunity to open in Glasgow,” Chhong reveals. “We’re also about to sign a deal for a store in Ipswich, but we’re always exploring cities like Liverpool and Birmingham to bring our fast-food sushi concept to more audiences. We prioritize locations where footfall is high, like shopping centers, high streets, or close to transport hubs.”
Expanding reach
IRO’s successful franchise network is the pillar of its growth strategy and has enabled the business to grow to its current network of 32 stores. The company now has higher ambitions to reach 100 stores in the next five years. “We operate a mix of company-owned and franchisee-owned stores, with around 33 percent of the stores owned by the business,” Chhong explains. “Moving forward, our focus is firmly on franchising, and although the food market is generally tough right now, we’re seeing lots of interest in franchising and investment, especially in our niche market.”
By placing fresh, authentic sushi at the heart of its operations, IRO’s fast-food sushi concept is quickly gaining popularity in London and beyond. To close our conversation, we ask Chhong more about his plans to grow the business further. “We’re currently focused on supporting our franchisees in opening new stores, and we’re planning to open a total of ten new stores in 2026,” Chhong concludes. “Beyond our target of operating 100 stores in the next five years, we’ll explore store options in Europe to expand our reach further, but first, we want to become known as the leader of fast-food sushi in the UK.”