What Chopstix Group does

Chopstix Group is a UK-based, privately held quick service restaurant (QSR) chain founded in 2002, headquartered in London, and specialising in pan-Asian noodle cuisine. The company operates multiple physical restaurant locations in the United Kingdom serving individual consumers seeking convenient, affordable Asian food, and is led by CEO and co-founder Sam Elia. With reported headcount of 501–1,000 employees, Chopstix is characterised in the source material as a "major UK-based" pan-Asian QSR operator, distributing its product exclusively through company-owned and/or franchised physical storefronts.

The company's commercial model is a single revenue stream of consumer food and beverage sales through individual menu-item pricing at its restaurant locations, with no publicly disclosed pricing structure or app/digital ordering platform evidenced. Chopstix has no disclosed technology infrastructure, software products, API surface, or proprietary digital systems in the input data; its competitive positioning rests entirely on its physical footprint, brand, and operational execution of a noodle-focused QSR concept. The value proposition centres on providing quick-service Asian food with efficient operations tailored to fast-paced dining.

In October 2024, Swiss investment group QSRP acquired a majority stake in Chopstix, with the explicit objective of accelerating growth and enabling expansion into new European markets; this transaction also marked QSRP's entry into the UK market and installed QSRP as the parent entity. Chopstix has separately entered a strategic partnership with UK learning disability charity Mencap to fund employment schemes and create paid-employment pathways for people with learning disabilities. No financial figures — revenue, deal value, headcount growth, or unit count — are disclosed in the available source material.

Name

Chopstix Group

Website

https://chopstixnoodles.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Chopstix Group is a UK-based, privately held pan-Asian quick service restaurant chain founded in 2002 that operates multiple physical noodle-focused restaurant locations serving individual consumers seeking convenient, affordable Asian food across the United Kingdom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick Service Restaurant - Asian Noodle Cuisine

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Concept / Global QSR Chains (Mixed Menus) (THAFAAAO)

Keywords

• Pan-Asian noodle cuisine
• Quick service restaurant
• Asian fast food chain
• Noodle restaurant chain
• QSR dining

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Food and beverage sales: Revenue generated from operating a pan-Asian quick service restaurant chain selling noodles and Asian cuisine to consumers in the UK and potentially expanding into European markets.

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Chopstix Group operates a pan-Asian quick service restaurant (QSR) chain selling noodles and Asian cuisine to consumers in the UK. The company runs multiple physical restaurant locations offering noodle-based fast food with various toppings, targeting individual diners seeking convenient, affordable Asian meals.

Product overview

Chopstix Group is a major UK-based pan-Asian QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) chain, operating as a noodle-focused fast food restaurant concept. The company operates multiple restaurant locations in the UK and has been the subject of a majority stake acquisition by Swiss group QSRP, which aims to accelerate growth and expand into new European markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chopstix Pan-Asian QSR Restaurant Concept

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MencapcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChopstix has partnered with learning disability charity Mencap to support employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities in the UK. The partnership includes funding for schemes and creating pathways into paid employment at Chopstix and Mencap retail stores.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Itsu: UK pan-Asian QSR/café chain focused on noodles, sushi, and bowls. Closely comparable business model (limited-service, takeaway-led) and menu architecture to Chopstix.
• Wagamama: UK-based pan-Asian noodle-focused restaurant chain operating at a more casual-dining price point. Closest direct competitor to Chopstix on cuisine, customer occasion, and UK geographic footprint.
• Pho: UK casual chain specializing in Vietnamese pho and pan-Asian street food. Comparable on cuisine category, UK footprint, and QSR/casual hybrid model.
• Yo! Sushi: UK-born Japanese/pan-Asian conveyor belt and grab-and-go concept. Directly comparable Asian QSR/quick-casual peer with overlapping UK customer base and noodle/bowl offerings.
• Wasabi Sushi & Bento: UK pan-Asian grab-and-go and QSR chain selling noodles, sushi, and bento boxes. Operates in the same takeaway-led price tier as Chopstix with overlapping menu and customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Pret a Manger: Large UK-based limited-service chain with a broader hot-food menu including Asian-inspired items. Competes for the same lunchtime QSR occasion but is a much larger incumbent with a wider portfolio.
• Nando's: Major UK-based QSR/casual chain with a multi-unit footprint and similar operational scale to Chopstix. Comparable on UK QSR operating model and customer demographics, though cuisine is peri-peri chicken.
• Leon Restaurants: UK QSR/café chain offering a broader "naturally fast food" menu with some Asian-influenced items. Comparable on limited-service UK model and price tier, though its menu is not cuisine-specific.
• McDonald's (UK): Dominant UK QSR incumbent. Competes for the same value-oriented, quick-meal occasions and UK footfall locations that Chopstix targets, but at a different cuisine and far larger scale.
• KFC (UK): Major UK QSR chain with comparable physical-store distribution and a young, value-seeking customer base. Overlaps with Chopstix on occasion and price tier despite a different cuisine.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chopstixuki
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChopstixUKI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chopstix-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chopstix Group