Hamburgers Vice They are preparing a new leap in their growth strategy. The chain, founded by Master Chef winner Aley Puig, also plans to use the cans to further expand its brand.

The company, created at the height of the pandemic, has raised almost €19 million between a funding round A led by Iris Ventures, which included participation from footballers Leo Messi and Antoine Griezmann, as well as equity financing launched in May last year. Most of these funds were used to finance expansion. But he is looking for additional funds to continue expanding the business.

“Because we don’t sell futures assets on the Chinese markets, we never know when they will pay us back, but instead we buy food, cook it, sell it and make money, that’s something very attractive to banks. bet on us,” explained Puig himself during the presentation of the first physical restaurant in Madrid, located in Walk of General Martinez Campos 43, in the Almagro area. “We are in talks with some of them and we have a very profitable business model, so in the end the issue of rounds is a thing of the past,” he added.

In general, new premises required investment of one million euros. They plan to open 15 more locations over the next twelve months. The focus is on cities with populations greater than 100,000 located in the most central areas. In addition to Madrid and Barcelona, ​​it also includes other capitals such as Seville, Zaragoza, Palma, Valencia or Malaga.

At the moment the company already has 600 employees and plans to end the year by doubling sales and reaching a turnover of about 40 million, which will allow this to be achieved, according to Puig’s response to Independent– reach the level break eventhat is, to cover costs and not lose money.

Last year the company’s sales reached 20 million thanks to the combination of product, brand and technology in an environment where supply has not stopped growing in recent years. Compete with brands such as Goiko, Five guys or TGB (Restalia) and a long list of small burger restaurants dedicated to the so-called smash a burgerwhich involves flattening meat on the grill until it becomes crispy.

The new location in Almagro is ahead of the one announced last year on Calle Carretas, next to Solar gate, which was unable to open its doors due to administrative problems. The most current forecast the company has is the ability to raise the blinds. from March to April next year.

New premises in the city area Chamberi, located very close to the axis of La Castellana, plans to open a hall for physical consumption with a capacity of 48 people. The size of the fully visible kitchen is significantly larger than necessary for the number of clients. The idea is that 15% of the store’s products are taken away(takeaway) and another 35% goes to home orders (delivery). 75% of restaurant consumption in Spain is still carried out physically.

” dark kitchen They are very good, but when you accelerate the expansion of a business, a physical restaurant weighs a lot more, and it is this model of physical and hybrid restaurant that we want to export throughout the world,” Puig explained at the presentation of the space, 200 square meters and two heights, designed by the studio. External reference. This is the same one who conceived his new headquarters in Barcelona, ​​which recently opened.

Delivery via Glovo

The company currently supports home delivery through an exclusive agreement with Glovo. “We’ll see if we open up to other operators,” explained the company’s CEO. What he has no plans to do is have his own delivery service, as the home delivery technology tool serves as the perfect showcase to attract more and more customers. “We are interested in taking a very good position there and there is room for growth,” he concluded.

Regarding the possibility of internationalizing the business, Puig admits that he has received all kinds of offers, including franchising local. In any case, he is confident that “the brand can be replicated in other countries.” At the moment, here in Spain, the company already processes 250,000 orders per month, and in December the company’s first restaurant will open in Barcelona.