Bunsik Expands Korean Street Food to London and Manchester 2026

Key Points

• Dual Site Openings: Bunsik, the UK’s premier Korean street food brand, is launching two new locations this May: Brixton, South London, on 15 May, and Manchester’s Trafford Centre on 20 May.
• Milestone Growth: These launches mark the 11th and 12th UK locations for the fast-growing brand, which first entered the market in London in 2021.
• Strategic Milestone in South London: The Brixton branch at 490 Brixton Road represents Bunsik’s first physical footprint in South London and serves as its debut franchised site within the capital.
• Franchise Partnership: The Brixton site is spearheaded by franchise operator CMB Hospitality, under the leadership of Vicente Marti, signalling a shift towards franchise-led growth.
• Expansion in Greater Manchester: The Trafford Centre opening represents the brand’s second site in Greater Manchester, building upon the commercial success of its established Piccadilly Gardens restaurant, which opened in 2023.
• Prime Retail Placement: Located within The Orient food court, the Trafford Centre site places the brand inside one of the United Kingdom’s highest-footfall retail and leisure complexes.
• Corporate Pivot: The Trafford Centre branch is projected to be the final location directly operated by the parent company, Maguro Group, with all subsequent UK scaling focused primarily on franchise models.
• Social Impact Partnership: Bunsik has collaborated with youth employment charity Street League for its Trafford Centre recruitment, successfully interviewing over 30 young people and hiring 13 individuals.
• Proven Marketing Playbook: Both launches will utilise Bunsik’s traditional opening strategy, featuring phased promotional campaigns and their signature free corn dog giveaway to secure immediate footfall.

London (The Londoner News) May 15, 2026 – Bunsik, widely recognised as the United Kingdom’s number one Korean street food brand, has officially accelerated its national retail footprint this month with the simultaneous unveiling of two major new locations in London and Manchester. The rapid scaling initiative sees the brand opening its doors at 490 Brixton Road, South London, today, 15 May, followed immediately by a grand opening within The Orient food court at Manchester’s prestigious Trafford Centre on 20 May. Representing the 11th and 12th locations for the fast-casual chain, these dual launches solidify Bunsik’s commercial evolution from a single viral London eatery into a dominant national culinary force. Backed by the Maguro Group, the brand continues to capitalize on the massive consumer appetite for Korean street food delicacies, most notably its highly visual Korean corn dogs, authentic tteokbokki, and specialized Korean fried chicken.

What Is Driving Bunsik’s Aggressive UK Expansion Strategy?

Since its initial inception in the competitive London food scene in 2021, Bunsik has systematically transformed the fast-casual landscape by spearheading the viral Korean corn dog craze across the British Isles.

The brand has achieved unprecedented digital visibility, accumulating millions of organic views across social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. This highly visual culinary offering has translated directly into sustained, high-volume physical footfall.

Under the strategic stewardship of founder Jae Cho and supported by the extensive hospitality infrastructure of the Maguro Group, Bunsik has engineered a highly lucrative fast-casual business model. This framework blends exceptional operational efficiency with broad demographic appeal, enabling the business to maintain strong commercial momentum within both dense metropolitan hubs and key regional cities.

The consecutive openings this May demonstrate a calculated dual-pronged growth mechanism: deep-diving further into northern retail powerhouses while simultaneously decentralizing its London presence away from the core central districts.

Why Is the Brixton Launch a Crucial Milestone for Bunsik?

The introduction of the Brixton site at 490 Brixton Road, London, SW9 8EQ, marks an important structural shift in Bunsik’s corporate trajectory.

While representing the brand’s eleventh UK establishment, it holds the dual distinction of being Bunsik’s very first South London location and its inaugural franchised site within the boundaries of the capital.

To execute this high-profile expansion, Bunsik has entered into a strategic partnership with franchise operator CMB Hospitality, an entity headed up by experienced hospitality professional Vicente Marti.

This move into a London-based franchise model signals a significant milestone within Bunsik’s wider, long-term franchise expansion strategy, proving that the brand’s operational systems can be effectively decentralized and replicated by external partners.

As reported by the editorial team at Restaurant News, Jae Cho, the Founder of Bunsik, stated that:

“Opening our 11th and 12th Bunsik locations is a major milestone for the brand and reflects the continued demand we’re seeing for Korean street food across the UK. Following the continued success of our existing Manchester site in Piccadilly Gardens, expanding further into Greater Manchester with Trafford Centre felt like a natural next step, while Brixton gives us an exciting opportunity to bring Bunsik to a new part of London with a fantastic food culture and energy.”

This sentiment underscores a deliberate effort to imbed the brand within areas that possess distinct cultural identities and established local food economies.

How Does CMB Hospitality View the Growth Potential of Bunsik?

For franchise operators, the decision to invest in a fast-casual brand requires a balance of proven consumer demand and robust backend support.

According to reporting from industry correspondents at Restaurant News, Vicente Marti, the head of CMB Hospitality, stated that:

“Bunsik stood out to us straight away as a brand with huge growth potential. The product is strong, the customer demand is already proven, and Jae and the wider Maguro Group team bring a huge amount of operational experience to the business. As franchise partners, we have real confidence in the brand and while Brixton felt like the right location for our first site thanks to its energy, footfall and strong food culture.”

By collaborating with local operators who understand the specific demographic nuances of neighborhoods like Brixton, Bunsik minimises the traditional risks associated with rapid geographic expansion while tapping directly into localized footfall.

Explore More South London News

Bunsik Opens First Korean Corndog Spot in Brixton, South London 2026

Jawdance Launches at Brixton House with Kat François in 2026 South London

What Makes the Trafford Centre Location Strategically Significant?

Turning attention to the North of England, Bunsik’s twelfth UK location places the brand inside one of the country’s ultimate retail crowns:

The Orient food court within Manchester’s Trafford Centre. The Trafford Centre is widely acknowledged as one of the busiest and most socio-economically vital retail and leisure destinations in the United Kingdom, drawing tens of millions of regional and national visitors annually.

This launch represents Bunsik’s second venture into Greater Manchester. It builds directly upon the extensive brand awareness generated by its Piccadilly Gardens restaurant, which has enjoyed sustained financial success and strong market validation since its initial launch in 2023.

By securing a physical presence within The Orient, Bunsik transitions from an urban high-street staple to an institutional shopping centre fixture, positioning its quick-service menu in front of a diverse demographic of shoppers, families, and leisure seekers.

How Does Trafford Centre’s Management View the Arrival of Bunsik?

The integration of trendy, digitally prominent brands is increasingly seen by retail asset managers as essential for maintaining the cultural relevance of major shopping complexes.

As documented by industry reporters at Restaurant News, Kitty Vaughan, the Head of UK F&B and Leisure at Pradera—the asset management firm overseeing the Trafford Centre—stated that:

“Trafford Centre continues to host a strong and diverse mix of F&B retailers, and the addition of a brand such as Bunsik helps to further evolve the scheme’s line-up of tenants and enhance the overall customer experience.”

This corporate alignment highlights a growing trend where traditional retail landlords actively court viral, experiential food brands to drive physical footfall in an era heavily influenced by e-commerce.

How Is Bunsik Addressing Corporate Social Responsibility and Local Youth Employment?

Beyond corporate profitability and real estate acquisition, Bunsik’s expansion into Greater Manchester incorporates a distinct social sustainability initiative. In setting up the Trafford Centre location, the brand partnered directly with Street League, a prominent UK youth employment charity that utilises sports and holistic support to help young people overcome socio-economic barriers and enter formal employment.