What KOKORO does

KOKORO is a privately held UK restaurant chain specialising in freshly prepared Japanese and Korean food, founded in 2010 by Rak-Kyu Park in Kingston upon Thames. The company operates a franchise model with over 80 locations across England, Scotland, and Wales, including major cities such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow, Cardiff, and Bristol. The product portfolio spans handmade sushi (maki, nigiri, deluxe rolls), Korean kimbap, hearty rice and noodle bowls with Korean and Japanese proteins, katsu curry, udon, Korean entrées (Japchae, Kimchi Fried Rice, Galbi Jjim, Chilli Chicken/Pork), onigiri, chicken wings, gyoza, and desserts (mochi, dorayaki, Korean-style cheesecake). Menu items are prepared in-house daily, with vegetarian and calorie-conscious options marked on the menu.

The company reaches customers through dine-in service, takeaway, and delivery via a Deliveroo partnership, supplemented by an Instagram presence for marketing. KOKORO also operates a sub-brand, KOKO BUNSIK, a Korean street food concept located at 4 Castle Street, Kingston upon Thames. The franchise is offered to prospective UK operators through a structured inquiry process with a 10-year renewable license and central support package.

Commercially, KOKORO generates revenue through food and beverage sales at franchise locations and via Deliveroo, with pricing set at individual locations. The corporate entity, KOKORO UK LIMITED, is registered at 4 Lyon Road, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames, KT12 3PU, and the business remains entirely founder-owned with no disclosed external private equity or venture capital investment.

Name

KOKORO

Legal name

KOKORO UK LIMITED

Website

https://kokorouk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KOKORO is a UK-based franchise restaurant chain operating 80+ locations across England, Scotland, and Wales, serving handmade sushi and freshly prepared Japanese and Korean cuisine to general consumers via dine-in, takeaway, and Deliveroo delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Asian Restaurant Chain

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

In-Store Sushi & Asian Prepared Foods (CRAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Asian restaurant chain
• Japanese cuisine
• Korean food
• Handmade sushi
• Restaurant franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

Walton Upon Thames

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Food and beverage sales: Revenue generated from dine-in customers, takeaway orders, and food delivery orders across all franchise locations. Customers can order directly at locations or through Deliveroo.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

KOKORO is a UK-based Asian restaurant chain that prepares and sells handmade sushi and Korean/Japanese hot food through a franchise network of over 80 locations across the United Kingdom. Customers can dine in, take away, or order delivery via Deliveroo. The company also licenses its brand to franchisees seeking to operate KOKORO restaurants in the UK.

Product overview

KOKORO is a UK-based Asian food restaurant chain offering handmade sushi and hot Korean/Japanese cuisine. The product portfolio centers on freshly prepared foods across multiple categories: Kimbap (Korean seaweed rice rolls), sushi (maki, nigiri, deluxe selections), Hearty Bowls (rice/noodle bowls with proteins), Katsu Curry dishes (panko-breaded cutlets with curry), Udon noodles, Korean entrees (Japchae, Kimchi Fried Rice, Galbi Jjim, Chilli Chicken/Pork), Onigiri rice balls, Chicken Wings, Gyoza dumplings, and desserts (Mochi, Dorayaki, Korean Cheese Cake). The company operates over 80 locations across the UK through a franchise model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KOKO BUNSIK: Part of the Kokoro Family - Korean Street Food concept located at 4 Castle Street, Kingston upon Thames.

Products and services

• KOKORO Restaurant Menu

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DeliveroocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKOKORO has a delivery partnership with Deliveroo, enabling customers to order food for delivery directly to their doorsteps. The company states 'We are available on Deliveroo' and provides links to order through the platform.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• LEON Restaurants: UK fast/casual chain offering healthy grab-and-go meals. Competes with KOKORO for the busy, health-conscious urban UK consumer looking for quick, freshly prepared lunch options.
• Wagamama: Large UK/European Asian casual-dining chain with a wider menu and full-service sit-down format. Overlaps with KOKORO on Japanese cuisine and target demographic but operates a different, larger-format dining model.
• Pret a Manger: UK high-street grab-and-go chain with a broader (non-Asian-focused) menu. Competes with KOKORO for the same lunchtime/commuter customer in UK city centres and transport hubs.

Regional players

• Kura Sushi: Japan-headquartered conveyor-belt sushi chain with international expansion. Comparable on core sushi category and chain operating model, though primarily active in Japan/US and not a direct UK competitor.

Emerging players

• Poke House: European fast-casual poke and Asian-inspired bowl chain. Comparable to KOKORO on the build-your-own Asian bowl format and quick-service positioning, though it has limited UK presence and a Hawaiian-leaning menu.

Direct peers

• Yo! Sushi (Snowfox Group): UK-headquartered sushi and Asian food operator (formerly Yo! Sushi) now running both branded restaurants and supermarket in-store sushi counters. Comparable to KOKORO on cuisine focus and UK distribution model.
• Wasabi: UK grab-and-go sushi and hot Asian food chain operating company-owned and franchised stores. Direct competitor to KOKORO with overlapping menu (sushi, bento, hot bowls) and similar price-point positioning for busy UK consumers.
• Itsu: UK Asian QSR chain specializing in sushi, noodles, and hot bowls for the mass market. Closely comparable to KOKORO on format, menu mix, target customer (lunchtime/commuter), and UK high-street footprint.
• Sushi Daily: Grab-and-go sushi and Asian food operator with a kiosk and in-store supermarket model across Europe. Direct competitor in the UK quick-service sushi segment where KOKORO also competes.
• Bento Sushi: European sushi and Asian grab-and-go operator with strong in-store/supermarket distribution. Overlaps with KOKORO on the affordable, fresh-sushi grab-and-go proposition in the UK and European markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/kokorouk_official
• Xx.com/kokorobowl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 KOKORO