London-based blow-dry brand Duck & Dry is targeting up to 60 locations across the UK over the next five years, combining franchised and company-owned salons as it accelerates expansion beyond London.
Founded by Yulia Rorstrom in 2014, Duck & Dry has built its business around premium blow-drys, updos and hair styling, alongside its own professional haircare and styling products. The brand says it has created thousands of blow-drys across its London salons and has developed a systemised operating model designed to support wider expansion.
The latest expansion programme is being supported by Hero Brands, which is entering the beauty category through its partnership with Duck & Dry. Hero Brands’ portfolio includes German Doner Kebab and Sides, and the group operates more than 190 locations globally, according to an April 2026 report on the partnership.
Duck & Dry currently has a London presence spanning locations including Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Oxford Street at John Lewis, The Whiteley and Battersea Power Station. The company is now seeking franchise partners for major UK cities including Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The company’s current franchise strategy builds on an earlier franchising model. Duck & Dry launched its first franchise at Old Spitalfields Market in 2019, followed by plans for another franchise location in Islington. The brand subsequently promoted franchise opportunities across the UK and internationally.
Under the new expansion programme, franchise partners will receive support covering site selection, salon design, recruitment, training, launch marketing, technology, supplier relationships and ongoing operational and business-performance guidance. The company says its operating standards and training systems are designed to maintain consistency as the network grows.
The expansion follows an earlier 2026 growth push. When the Hero Brands partnership was announced in April, Duck & Dry said it planned to open 10 new UK sites during 2026, with recent openings at The Whiteley in Notting Hill and John Lewis Oxford Street and a Battersea Power Station location also planned at the time.
Duck & Dry has also expanded outside the UK. In June 2026, the brand announced a Middle East expansion, following the opening of a salon in Doha, Qatar, while its products had also entered the UAE market.
Rorstrom said the partnership with Hero Brands would provide the infrastructure and expertise needed to accelerate the brand’s growth while retaining the elements that have shaped Duck & Dry.
“We’ve spent years building a brand that customers trust and genuinely love,” Rorstrom said. “Every part of the business has been refined, from the salon experience and training programmes to our technology, products and marketing.”
She added that the company sees an opportunity to combine its company-owned estate with franchise partners to create a national beauty brand.
The company’s model combines salon services with a broader lifestyle proposition, including retail products, event and group-booking experiences and digital booking. Its own haircare range is developed with professional stylists and sold through its salons and online channels.
