Boparan Restaurant Group
A Birmingham-based British restaurant and food-production group that owns, operates, and franchises multiple hospitality and food brands.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Boparan Restaurant Group is a British operator of restaurant businesses and food-production facilities headquartered in Birmingham. The group is owned by Ranjit Singh Boparan and his wife, Baljinder Kaur Boparan. Rather than presenting a single consumer-facing restaurant concept, it functions as a multi-brand hospitality and food business, combining ownership of restaurant chains, rescue and restructuring of established operators, and franchise or master-license arrangements with international brands. Its restaurant portfolio has included Giraffe World Kitchen, Ed's Easy Diner, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Harry Ramsden's, the Cinnamon Collection, and Carluccio's. The company has also held franchise rights for Slim Chickens and announced a master-license agreement for Carl's Jr. in the United Kingdom. Alongside restaurants, the wider group has operated food-production interests, including the turkey producer Bernard Matthews, acquired in 2016. This combination gives Boparan Restaurant Group a broader profile than a conventional restaurant chain: it is both a portfolio owner and an operator participating in branded food manufacturing and hospitality. The group's expansion has often taken place through acquisitions of existing businesses. In 2009 it rescued four FishWorks restaurants from administration, followed by the purchase of Harry Ramsden's from SSP Group in 2010. During 2016 it acquired the Cinnamon Collection, bought Giraffe Restaurants from Tesco, purchased Bernard Matthews, and added Ed's Easy Diner. These transactions expanded the group across Indian dining, casual family restaurants, seafood, diner-style food, and food production. In 2019, however, all 34 Harry Ramsden's restaurants were sold to Deep Blue Restaurants, illustrating that the portfolio has also been reshaped through disposals. Boparan Restaurant Group continued to add businesses during the subsequent period. It acquired Carluccio's in 2020 for £3.4 million and purchased Gourmet Burger Kitchen from Famous Brands later that year. The group had previously announced plans to bring Slim Chickens to the United Kingdom through a franchise agreement, and in 2024 announced a UK master-license agreement for Carl's Jr. These arrangements broadened its role from owning domestic restaurant brands to introducing and developing international quick-service concepts in the UK. The company's positioning is therefore based on portfolio management, operational scale, brand acquisition, and the development of restaurant and food businesses across different formats. Its activities span casual dining, burgers, seafood, Indian cuisine, Italian cuisine, American-style diners, fried chicken, and food production. Because the group operates through several distinct brands, customers generally encounter the individual restaurant names rather than Boparan Restaurant Group itself. The company is best understood as a private multi-brand hospitality and food platform rather than as a single-format restaurant chain.
History
Boparan Restaurant Group developed as a British multi-brand restaurant and food-production operator owned by Ranjit Singh Boparan and Baljinder Kaur Boparan. It is based in Birmingham and has built its business primarily through the acquisition, operation, and reshaping of established restaurant concepts, supplemented by franchise and licensing agreements. One of the group's early recorded interventions came in January 2009, when it rescued four FishWorks restaurants from administration. This established a pattern of taking on existing hospitality businesses rather than relying solely on the creation of new proprietary concepts. In January 2010, the group acquired Harry Ramsden's from SSP Group. The transaction gave Boparan a prominent seafood restaurant brand and expanded its presence in a recognizable UK restaurant segment. The portfolio broadened substantially in 2016. In January, Boparan acquired the Cinnamon Collection, comprising three Indian restaurants in London. In June, it purchased Giraffe Restaurants from Tesco, adding a casual dining business with a broad, family-oriented menu. In September, the group moved beyond restaurants when it acquired turkey producer Bernard Matthews for £87.5 million. The transaction connected the group to food manufacturing and production as well as hospitality. In October of the same year, it purchased Ed's Easy Diner, adding an American-style diner format to its restaurant holdings. Boparan also pursued international brand development through franchise arrangements. In January 2018, it announced an agreement with the American chain Slim Chickens to bring the concept to the United Kingdom. This represented a different form of expansion from outright acquisition: Boparan could develop an established international brand domestically under franchise terms. The group's portfolio was not static, however. In August 2019, all 34 Harry Ramsden's restaurants were sold to Deep Blue Restaurants, reducing its direct involvement in that chain while demonstrating its willingness to exit or recycle assets. The group continued its acquisition strategy in 2020. In March it acquired Carluccio's, an Italian restaurant chain, for £3.4 million. In October it purchased Gourmet Burger Kitchen from Famous Brands. These additions strengthened Boparan's presence in Italian dining and the burger category, while reinforcing the breadth of its multi-brand model. In May 2024, Boparan announced a master-license agreement with Carl's Jr., another American restaurant brand, to bring the chain to the United Kingdom. The agreement extended the group's role in international brand introduction and UK restaurant development. Across its recorded history, Boparan Restaurant Group has therefore combined rescue acquisitions, portfolio purchases, disposals, food-production ownership, and franchise or master-license development. The result is a diversified hospitality and food platform whose individual restaurants and food businesses are more visible to consumers than the parent group itself.
- 2024
Carl's Jr. UK master license
[1]Boparan announced a master-license agreement for Carl's Jr. in the United Kingdom.
- 2020
Carluccio's acquisition
[1]Boparan acquired Carluccio's for £3.4 million.
- 2020
Gourmet Burger Kitchen acquisition
[1]The group purchased Gourmet Burger Kitchen from Famous Brands.
- 2019
Harry Ramsden's disposal
[1]All 34 Harry Ramsden's restaurants were sold to Deep Blue Restaurants.
- 2018
Slim Chickens UK franchise agreement
[1]The group announced a franchise agreement to bring Slim Chickens to the UK.
- 2016
Cinnamon Collection acquisition
[1]The group acquired the three-restaurant Cinnamon Collection in London.
- 2016
Giraffe acquisition
[1]Boparan purchased Giraffe Restaurants from Tesco.
- 2016
Bernard Matthews acquisition
[1]The group acquired turkey producer Bernard Matthews for £87.5 million.
- 2016
Ed's Easy Diner acquisition
[1]Boparan purchased Ed's Easy Diner.
- 2010
Harry Ramsden's acquisition
[1]Boparan acquired Harry Ramsden's from SSP Group.
Products and positioning
A private, multi-brand restaurant and food-production group focused on acquiring, operating, restructuring, and franchising hospitality and food businesses in the United Kingdom.
Casual dining
Giraffe World Kitchen
A casual dining restaurant concept acquired by Boparan from Tesco in 2016. The brand forms part of the group's broad restaurant portfolio and is associated with a family-oriented, internationally influenced dining format.
American-style diner
Ed's Easy Diner
An American-style diner chain purchased by Boparan in 2016. It represents the group's participation in casual, diner-themed restaurant formats.
Burger restaurant
Gourmet Burger Kitchen
A burger restaurant chain acquired by Boparan from Famous Brands in 2020, adding a dedicated burger concept to the group's multi-brand hospitality portfolio.
Italian restaurant
Carluccio's
An Italian restaurant chain acquired by Boparan in March 2020 for £3.4 million. The business expanded the group's coverage of established casual restaurant categories.
Quick-service chicken
Slim Chickens
An American chicken restaurant brand developed in the United Kingdom through a franchise agreement announced by Boparan in 2018.
Quick-service restaurant
Carl's Jr.
An American quick-service restaurant brand covered by a UK master-license agreement announced by Boparan in 2024.
Food production
Bernard Matthews
A turkey producer acquired by Boparan in 2016, representing the group's food-production activities beyond restaurant operations.
Brand decisions
2024
Carl's Jr. UK master-license agreementStrategyBackground
Boparan continued to use licensing arrangements to introduce international restaurant brands in the United Kingdom.
Action taken
The group announced a master-license agreement with Carl's Jr. for the UK market.
Aftermath
The agreement positioned Boparan as the UK development partner for another American quick-service brand.
2020
Acquisition of Carluccio'sM&ABackground
Boparan continued expanding its restaurant portfolio through acquisition.
Action taken
The group acquired Carluccio's for £3.4 million.
Aftermath
The purchase added an established Italian restaurant chain to the group's brands.
Acquisition price. £3.4 million (2020)
2020
Acquisition of Gourmet Burger KitchenM&ABackground
Boparan sought to add another established restaurant concept to its portfolio.
Action taken
The group purchased Gourmet Burger Kitchen from Famous Brands.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened Boparan's presence in the burger restaurant category.
2019
Sale of Harry Ramsden'sM&ABackground
Boparan reviewed and reshaped its restaurant portfolio after owning Harry Ramsden's for several years.
Action taken
All 34 Harry Ramsden's restaurants were sold to Deep Blue Restaurants.
Aftermath
Boparan exited direct ownership of the chain.
2018
Slim Chickens UK franchise developmentStrategyBackground
Boparan sought to expand its portfolio through international restaurant franchising.
Action taken
The group announced a franchise agreement with Slim Chickens to bring the American chain to the United Kingdom.
Aftermath
The agreement extended Boparan's activities beyond ownership of domestic restaurant brands into international brand development.
2016
Expansion through multiple acquisitionsM&ABackground
Boparan pursued a broad expansion of its restaurant and food-production portfolio.
Action taken
The group acquired the Cinnamon Collection, Giraffe Restaurants, Bernard Matthews, and Ed's Easy Diner during 2016.
Aftermath
The acquisitions diversified the group across Indian dining, casual dining, food production, and American-style diner restaurants.
Bernard Matthews acquisition price. £87.5 million (2016)
2010
Acquisition of Harry Ramsden'sM&ABackground
Harry Ramsden's was owned by SSP Group.
Action taken
Boparan acquired the restaurant chain for an undisclosed sum.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Boparan's presence in the UK seafood restaurant sector.
2009
Rescue of FishWorks restaurantsM&ABackground
Four FishWorks restaurants had entered administration.
Action taken
Boparan Restaurant Group rescued the four restaurants.
Aftermath
The transaction marked an early recorded expansion of the group's restaurant portfolio through business rescue.
Recent events
- 2024
Boparan announces Carl's Jr. UK master-license agreement[1]
Product launch · Other
The group announced a master-license agreement to bring and develop Carl's Jr. in the United Kingdom.
- 2020
Boparan acquires Carluccio's[1]
M&A
Boparan Restaurant Group acquired the Italian restaurant chain Carluccio's for £3.4 million.
- 2020
Boparan purchases Gourmet Burger Kitchen[1]
M&A
The group purchased Gourmet Burger Kitchen from Famous Brands.
- 2019
Harry Ramsden's restaurants sold to Deep Blue Restaurants[1]
M&A
All 34 Harry Ramsden's restaurants were sold by Boparan Restaurant Group to Deep Blue Restaurants.
- 2018
Slim Chickens announces UK franchise relationship with Boparan[1]
M&A · Product launch
Boparan Restaurant Group announced a franchise agreement intended to bring the American chicken chain Slim Chickens to the United Kingdom.
- 2016
Boparan acquires the Cinnamon Collection[1]
M&A
The group purchased the three-restaurant Cinnamon Collection in London.
- 2016
Boparan purchases Giraffe Restaurants from Tesco[1]
M&A
Boparan acquired Giraffe Restaurants from Tesco, adding the casual dining brand to its portfolio.
- 2016
Boparan acquires Bernard Matthews[1]
M&A
The group bought turkey producer Bernard Matthews for £87.5 million, expanding its food-production interests.
- 2016
Boparan purchases Ed's Easy Diner[1]
M&A
The group added the American-style diner chain Ed's Easy Diner to its restaurant portfolio.
- 2010
Boparan acquires Harry Ramsden's[1]
M&A
Boparan Restaurant Group purchased the Harry Ramsden's restaurant business from SSP Group.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/boparan-restaurant-group · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled