Sumo Sushi & Bento has entered a franchise agreement with Apparel Group to bring 20 Sumo Sushi & Bento outlets across the GCC region.
Building on its expansive relationship with various malls, Apparel Group will focus on bringing Sumo Sushi & Bento to its mall locations throughout the GCC.
The franchise agreement was signed in April, in the presence of senior officials of both groups at a ceremony held in Dubai.
The first restaurant under this agreement is scheduled to open at the Doha Festival City (Qatar) on June 1, followed by other shopping malls and retail establishments across the Middle East using the existing network of Apparel Group in the region.
Currently, Sumo International Inc. operates and franchises a chain of 15 restaurants across UAE, Bahrain and Oman, while Apparel Group has over 75 brands in its portfolio covering four continents.
The signing of this franchise agreement is a continuation of Sumo Sushi & Bento’s ambitious growth plans, both nationally and regionally.
The brand is currently focused on mirroring its GCC success overseas in the US market.
Sumo International Inc global marketing and communication manager Darami Coulter said: “We are thrilled to work with Apparel Group and we believe they are the ideal partner to help us drive the expansion of Sumo Sushi & Bento in the fast growing GCC markets.”
The home-grown Japanese restaurant was established in 2000 with just ten team members, and has now grown to 140 employees, while the franchises have over 500 employees.
