The Preston-born jacket potato brand is partnering with Forward Hospitality to develop six UAE restaurants and two food trucks over three years.
British jacket potato brand SpudBros Express is accelerating its international expansion with plans to develop six restaurants and two food trucks across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the next three years. The move marks the brand’s first international expansion outside the UK and comes alongside the launch of its new flagship restaurant on London’s Princes Street.
The UAE expansion is being undertaken through an exclusive area development agreement signed in August 2026 with Forward Hospitality, a UAE-based hospitality operator. The agreement grants Forward Hospitality exclusive multi-unit development rights across the country, providing the platform for SpudBros Express to establish a presence in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
According to Boyd Baptist Wahr, Head of Strategic Operations at Taster, the food brand operator leading SpudBros’ franchise expansion, the development programme will include six restaurant locations and two food trucks. The food trucks are scheduled to debut at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in November, followed by appearances at the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Liwa International Festival.
The first permanent UAE restaurant is planned for The Galleria on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, with an opening targeted for the first half of 2027.
Boyd Baptist Wahr said: “The UAE gives us a second growth route that complements the UK.” He added that delivery would account for a considerably larger share of sales in the UAE than in most of the brand’s UK locations.
The company is also assessing menu adaptations for the Middle Eastern market. However, early consumer feedback from its Abu Dhabi Formula 1 activation indicated strong demand for the brand’s original jacket potato offerings.
The UAE agreement forms part of Taster’s wider ambition to develop SpudBros Express into an international fast-casual brand. Wahr said the company would like to be operating across four regions within five years, with the UAE serving as a model for future partnerships with area developers.
The international push coincides with the opening of SpudBros Express’ 2,190 sq ft flagship restaurant at 4 Princes Street, near London’s Regent Street. The location brings the brand’s freshly prepared jacket potatoes and signature toppings to London’s West End. SpudBros has built a following of approximately six million across Instagram and TikTok.
Commenting on the London opening, Founders Jacob and Harley Nelson said: “We’re incredibly proud to have brought SpudBros to the heart of London’s West End. Opening our flagship on Princes Street was a huge milestone for us, and it’s been amazing to see the response from Londoners and visitors from around the world.”
The brothers added that the business had grown beyond their initial expectations, describing the opportunity to establish a flagship close to Regent Street as a significant milestone.
Founded in Preston, Lancashire, SpudBros traces its origins to 1955, when a hot potato tram began serving customers at the city’s Flag Market. Jacob and Harley Nelson took over the family business in 2020 and transformed its visibility through social media, turning its jacket potato offering into a widely recognised food concept.
In 2024, the business partnered with Taster to develop SpudBros Express as a scalable restaurant and takeaway concept. The partnership is central to its franchise-led growth strategy, with Taster providing the operational and development infrastructure to take the brand into new locations and markets.
The brand’s UK expansion has also included a partnership involving forecourt operator EG On The Move, with plans for at least 30 locations over three years. The business is now looking beyond the UK, with the UAE providing its first announced international development territory.
