UK-wide expansion for Mowgli Street Food following bumper December

Leisure operator Mowgli Street Food is accelerating its expansion plans on the back of a bumper December.

The Liverpool-headquartered company, founded in 2014 by barrister and foodie Nisha Katona, saw a like-for-like sales surge of 11.5% at the close of 2017.

Mowgli now wants to boost its restaurant portfolio with as many as five openings this year.

The company confirmed it is considering potential sites in Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester and London for its home and street kitchen concept.

Currently, Mowgli operates four restaurants in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, with a fifth due to open at at Westgate in Oxford early next month.

Nisha Katona, founder and chief exec, said: “Mowgli is all about the fresh, light zing of an Indian home kitchen​. The menu is entirely comprised of dishes from my family’s recipes – so this is how it tastes to dine at my grandmother’s Varanasi stove.

“I take curry virgin chefs on principle and teach them one-on-one in the ancient Hindu culinary philosophy.”

She added: “It is utterly humbling that Mowgli has found a place in the heart of the nation.”

Mowgli was backed last year by private equity firm Foresight Group. The deal saw leisure sector executive Karen Jones appointed as chair and Matthew Peck, former head of finance at burger chain Byron, as finance director.