Food Chain - Issue 202 - October 2024 | Page 97

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sides
The brand opened its first physical location at Boxpark Wembley in February 2022 , driven by huge demand from its 150 virtual kitchen locations . The restaurant attracted over three-hour queues , with fans from across the UK traveling to be the first in line . Its second site launched in Boxpark Croydon in September 2022 .
Since storming the internet in 2013 , the Sidemen – made up of seven talented content creators and internet personalities : KSI , Miniminter , Zerkaa , TBJZL , Behzinga , Vikkstar123 , and W2S – have captivated audiences with entertaining , highquality videos centered on food , football , gaming , and music . The group ’ s YouTube channel has amassed a staggering 21.7 million loyal subscribers worldwide . With the Sidemen ’ s reach and influence , the success of Sides was inevitable – and this is just the beginning .
Fan favorite
After the success of Boxpark , Sides expanded to brick-and-mortar locations in malls and high streets , where fans queued for over 72 hours . In fact , the Sidemen were banned from attending their own restaurant opening in Birmingham ’ s Merryhill due to the overwhelming crowd . In an interview with The Standard in May 2023 , Zerkaa explained that this expansion was a direct response to the growing demand for more Sides restaurants across the nation . Earlier this year , Sides opened its first restaurant in Essex as part of its expansion effort . Based in the Lakeside Shopping Centre , the new location was decided upon in response to the overwhelming demand and popularity Sides has been experiencing in the UK .
In the same interview , Robin Mehta , Chief Executive Officer of Sides , had also said : “ As a brand , we are keen to keep evolving , and our new high-street restaurants will do just that , all while
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