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North East independents interviewed: Nudo Sushi Box

In a new feature exhibiting independently-operated North East companies, Jamie Hardesty gets the lowdown from Karen Lau and husband Kit about their growing sushi business, Nudo Sushi Box.

Opening their first outlet in March 2013, the husband and wife duo now have six successful North East branches, with two in Manchester and a third opening in Manchester this May.

“Nudo was created with the vision of making fresh sushi a regular and affordable meal option on the high street, rather than something that is considered a rare luxury”, explains Karen.

“As the sister company to Nudo Noodle House in Newcastle, which was established in 2009, opening Nudo Sushi Box felt like the next logical step. We offer distinctive, unique and beautifully prepared food at affordable prices.”

“When we first started the business we didn’t really have any huge expansion plans, as we were just concentrating on perfecting our concept”, adds Kit.

“Our initial goal was to change the way people thought about fast food, by offering products that are not only tasty but also healthy and nutritious. We wanted to make people realise that there are alternatives to the usual sandwich or burger.”

Once Nudo successfully established its first shop at Newcastle Haymarket the pair, alongside influential business partner Jim Zeng, began to think about expanding throughout the city. Soon sites in Sunderland, Durham and now Manchester followed although an extended network did not come without its challenges.

Karen explains: “An initial challenge was starting from the North East rather than the South. This meant educating and introducing people to the concept of sushi was a bigger task.

“We also had to ensure quality and consistency from the outset, as we believe in only fresh, quality products and nothing less.”

“Another challenge was competition from other grab and go outlets. However, we knew we were onto something special so it was just a matter of constantly listening and improving the products and services we offered”, adds Kit.

“Finally, although this wasn’t a challenge as such, we felt it was important to keep our team motivated, healthy, and attentive. We always strive to create a positive and encouraging atmosphere in all of our shops, which not only generates a positive environment for our staff, but also for our customers.”

Now the team are looking to take that positive energy to a new site in Manchester as Kit’s nephew, and the firm’s Business Development Manager, Terence Lee explains.

“We are delighted to be opening our third shop in Manchester near Piccadilly Gardens next month, which follows in the footsteps of our successful Oxford Street and Spinningfields outlets in the city”, says Terence.

“What’s more, we’re always looking for new ways to expand our menu, and are currently in the process of developing a new healthy salad range which will be available later this year.”

Another goal for Nudo to franchise into different cities, offering franchisees the opportunity to offer healthy alternative food to customers in their own town.

“Aside from that, we’re just working to improve overall brand awareness among people of all ages”, says Marketing Manager Lois Bell

“We sometimes find that people who haven’t tried sushi before are reluctant to take that first step; either because they’re a bit daunted by the unknown or they assume they won’t like it.”

Creator Karen explains that this is often down to the misconception that sushi is simply raw fish.

“This is not true; sushi refers to foods that use rice seasoned with sweet rice vinegar, which can sometimes include raw fish, however it can also include cooked fish, meat, or vegetables instead.

“Many people are surprised to learn that there are hundreds of kinds of sushi, not just Sashimi which is the term for raw fish.”

Unlike a lot of sushi restaurants, Nudo’s produce is freshly pre-prepared and visible on its shelves, allowing customers to choose exactly what appeals to them the most. The ownership feels it’s striking the perfect balance, offering consumers the choice of being able to sit in or just grab and go.

The menu includes a range of sushi products, including sashimi selections, nigiri boxes, futomaki, as well as sides and small eats. Boxes are available in a variety of sizes, with prices ranging from £3.20 for a Mid Box, £3.95 for a Long Box, and less than £6 for a Big Box. Moreover, the firm also offers online delivery in selected North East areas.

Now, the dream for the team at Nudo is to continue raising its brand profile as well as opening up in new areas.

Kit explains: “We live in a digital era where consumers love to post, share and talk online about their favourite places to eat and drink. As a contemporary food brand we recognise the value of social media, and actively engage with customers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

“We are continually developing new ways to keep the brand fresh and engage with our audience online, and we have some exciting plans coming soon for social media.”

Karen concludes: “Looking to the future, we hope to achieve continuous expansion while retaining our core brand values.

“No matter how many stores we operate, we will always remain true to our original concept and philosophy: offering great quality, healthy, and affordable food with the customer at the heart of everything we do.”

To find out more about Nudo visit the company’s website here.

To nominate an independent North East business to feature in this series, email Jamie at jamie.hardesty@bdaily.co.uk.

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