FIRST EDINBURGH SITE TO OPEN IN JULY 2026

● Strategic Scottish Expansion: SpudBros and Taster has signed an area development agreement with SUR Group to roll out the fast-growing food brand SpudBros Express across Scotland.

● First Opening Confirmed: The first Scottish location will open on Lothian Road, Edinburgh, in July 2026. Additional locations are already under discussion as part of a wider Scottish expansion strategy.

● Experienced Franchise Operator: SUR Group currently operates multiple leading franchise brands across Scotland and employs more than 500 people.

● A Social Media Powerhouse: The SpudBros have more than 5 million followers on TikTok, 223 million likes, 1.49 million YouTube subscribers and 1.2 million followers on Instagram.

SpudBros Express, the rapidly growing jacket potato concept developed by the SpudBros founders and Taster, today announced a major new development agreement with award-winning franchise operator SUR Group to launch and expand the brand across Scotland.

The agreement marks another significant milestone in the national growth of SpudBros Express, with the first Scottish location set to open on Lothian Road in Edinburgh in July 2026. Further openings are planned across Scotland over the coming years.

The venture will be led by SUR Group CEO Suhail Rehman alongside Business Development Director Tariq Din. SUR Group is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading multi-unit, multi-brand franchise operators, currently operating franchises across several major brands including Home Instead, Black Sheep Coffee, Mathnasium and easyStorage throughout Scotland.

SpudBros Express has rapidly built a strong national following through its modern take on the humble baked potato, combining high-quality ingredients, bold flavours and highly engaged social media storytelling to create one of the UK’s most exciting emerging food brands.

The Edinburgh launch will introduce the concept to the Scottish market for the first time, with the Lothian Road site selected for its strong footfall, central location and vibrant mix of residents, students and visitors.

The agreement was brokered and strategically engineered by Seeds Consulting, who has been advising on the brand’s franchise expansion strategy and partner development across the UK and internationally.

A Strong Partnership for Scottish Growth

Suhail Rehman, Group CEO of SUR Group, said:

“SpudBros Express is one of the most exciting emerging food brands we have seen in recent years. The business has built incredible momentum through a combination of simplicity, quality and strong customer engagement, and we believe the concept has significant long-term growth potential across Scotland.

As a group, we are highly disciplined in the brands we partner with. We look for concepts with strong fundamentals, operational scalability and clear consumer demand. SBX stood out immediately.

We are excited to launch the brand in Edinburgh and look forward to building a strong Scottish presence over the coming years.”

Tariq Din added:

“We see a real opportunity to bring something fresh and different to the Scottish quick service market. The Edinburgh site is a fantastic first location for the brand and we are already progressing discussions on future locations.”

Bertrand Peyrat, CEO at Taster, the European leader in creator-led food brands, said:

“This agreement represents an important milestone in the continued expansion of SpudBros Express across the UK. SUR Group brings an exceptional operational track record and deep experience in scaling consumer-facing brands across Scotland.

Edinburgh is a fantastic city for the next stage of the brand’s journey, and we are excited to work alongside SUR Group to establish a strong long-term presence in the Scottish market.”

SUR Group has developed a reputation for successfully scaling franchise operations across hospitality, care and service-based sectors. The addition of SpudBros Express further strengthens the group’s growing food and beverage portfolio following the rapid expansion of its Black Sheep Coffee estate across Scotland.

Matteo Frigeri, Founder of Seeds Consulting, said:

“SpudBros Express has quickly become one of the most sought-after emerging franchise opportunities in the market because the brand resonates strongly with both consumers and experienced operators. We have already onboarded a number of exceptional franchise partners across key territories, which reflects the confidence the market has in the concept and its long-term potential.

There are still several highly attractive territories available both within the UK and internationally, although we do not expect them to remain available for long given the level of interest we are seeing from multi-unit operators and experienced franchise groups.”

About SpudBros Express

SpudBros Express is the fast-growing quick service restaurant concept inspired by the viral success of the SpudBros brand founded by brothers Jacob and Harley Nelson. Combining premium baked potatoes, bold flavours and high-efficiency operations, the concept has rapidly expanded across the UK through a mix of flagship stores, franchise partnerships and roadside locations.

The SpudBros brand has built a global social media audience of millions across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, becoming one of the UK’s most recognisable modern food brands. INSTAGRAM / TIKTOK / YOUTUBE / FACEBOOK

About Taster

Taster is a European foodtech company building and scaling creator-led food brands designed for delivery, takeaway and high-efficiency physical formats. By combining technology, data and operational excellence, Taster creates food experiences tailored to modern consumers.

About SUR Group

SUR Group is a Scotland-based multi-unit franchise operator with interests across hospitality, education, care and service industries. The group currently operates multiple leading franchise brands across Scotland and employs more than 500 staff across its portfolio.

About Seeds Consulting

Seeds Consulting is a specialist franchise and hospitality advisory firm supporting high-growth consumer brands and multi-unit operators across the UK and international markets.