Sushi continues to be a growing trend in the U.S. and in other countries around the world. And you don’t have to be a Sushi master in order to be a part of this culinary trend — if you can find the right franchise opportunity. Here are 12 options for sushi franchises you can start.
12 Great Sushi Franchises
Sumo Sushi & Bento
Sumo Sushi & Bento is a global brand that serves bento boxes, noodle dishes and traditional sushi. The company is currently looking to expand in U.S. markets as well as in other countries around the world. Sumo provides training and manuals to help you get started, and offers ongoing support services in exchange for continuing royalties.
Sansai Fresh Grill & Sushi Kitchen
With several locations throughout California and more coming soon, Sansai Fresh Grill & Sushi Kitchen aims to be a leading national restaurant for quality sushi and bento items. The initial franchise fee is $35,000. And you receive assistance with site selection, accounting, marketing and more.
Yoshinoya
Yoshinoya is a global brand that serves Japanese inspired dishes. With more than 1,400 international locations, you’ll be able to enjoy some brand recognition as a franchisee. But the company estimates the startup costs range from $509,498 to $806,375, so it’s more expensive than some of the other sushi franchise options. Yoshinoya also provides training, marketing support and POS systems to franchisees.
Ace Sushi
Ace Sushi operates sushi bars located within major supermarket chains in the U.S. The company has over 600 locations and has been in business for 13 years. They supply training for chefs and give you access to all the supplies that you’ll need to run the business.
Gyu-Kaku
Gyu-Kaku is a global brand that has locations in several states throughout the U.S. The menu includes a variety of Japanese inspired food items. And customers get to enjoy a unique dining experience where they can be involved in the food preparation process. The company charges a franchise fee of $50,000, along with royalty and marketing fees. However, the total initial investment starts at above $1 million.
Samurai Sam’s Teriyaki Grill
While not exactly a traditional sushi restaurant, Samurai Sam’s has a menu full of Japanese inspired dishes like rice bowls and Japanese noodles. The restaurant chain operates using a quick service model, so it’s a good option for people interested in creating a fast paced business environment. Your initial investment as a franchisee should be between $115,600 and $427,050.
Sushi Freak
Sushi Freak is a sushi restaurant based in San Diego, California that is currently seeking expansion opportunities through franchising. You’ll need to spend between $179,900 and $279,000 for your initial investment. While business experience is preferred, you don’t necessarily need to have experience that’s specific to food service. The company is more concerned with finding candidates who are passionate, motivated and business minded.
Hapa Sushi
With a few locations in Colorado, Hapa Sushi & Sake Bar offers franchisees the opportunity to create a casual dining experience for customers. There’s a $35,000 franchise fee involved, along with some royalties and advertising fees. The company is specifically looking for franchisees with successful business backgrounds, and preferably those with relevant industry experience.
AFC Sushi
AFC Sushi provides a variety of sushi products to supermarkets around the U.S. and Canada. The company already has more than 3,300 sushi bar franchise locations. And franchisees have the ability to build unique product assortments for their sushi bars from AFC’s wide assortment.
Wok Box
Wok Box offers a variety of Asian inspired menu items, including noodle and rice boxes. The estimated startup costs range from $178,700 to $425,200. There are also marketing and royalty fees involved. The company focuses on creating a unique experience for customers, which means working with franchisees to develop locations that have interesting kitchen designs and décor elements.
Ninja Sushi
Ninja Sushi is a chain with several locations throughout Hawaii. The company prides itself on using only the freshest and most high quality ingredients for its unique Japanese inspired dishes. For a franchise fee of $30,000, you’ll receive training, a POS system, marketing and ongoing support. But as with some other franchises, be aware there are also marketing and royalty fees.
Teriyaki Grill
Teriyaki Grill specializes in some Japanese inspired dishes, but doesn’t have a menu that’s centered around traditional sushi items. The chain currently has locations throughout Utah and a couple in other states like Louisiana and Idaho as well. The estimated startup cost is about $15,000 for a 1,500 square foot store. But the actual cost can vary depending on the location and the types of features you’d like to include.
Sushi franchises are a growing culinary trend, consider one the next time you’re looking into restaurant ownership!
Sushi Border Photo via Shutterstock
[“source-smallbiztrends”]
