DALLAS — This article was originally published by our content partners at the Dallas Business Journal. You can read the original article here.
A popular Dallas taco concept has officially gone international.
Dallas-based taco chain Velvet Taco has secured its first international location in London’s Soho district.
The chain’s global expansion to London is part of a multi-unit franchise agreement with Velvet Taco UK. The first location is expected to debut in spring 2025.
The brand did not disclose the cost to expand to London or how many units are included in the agreement but revealed the square footage is similar to Velvet Taco's domestic locations, which span 2,500 square feet on average.
Velvet Taco, known for its out-of-the-box taco builds, takes inspiration from cultures around the world to create flavors that challenge the idea that tacos are exclusively part of the Tex-Mex cuisine.
When deciding where to debut the Texas brand, Velvet Taco chose a space in London's Piccadilly Circus, a well-known retail hub and popular tourist destination. The brand expects to bring 40 jobs to the London market, plus more locations across the UK in the coming years, according to an Oct. 16 announcement.
"Introducing the brand internationally for the first time required tremendous time and attention to find the right partners, as it was crucial for the Velvet Taco UK team to truly embody our core values," said Clay Dover, president and CEO of Velvet Taco. "The Velvet Taco menu is intricate, because everything is made from scratch, down to the sauces. That’s why it was essential not only to hand-select our UK team but also to partner with top-tier, culinary-driven operators and purveyors who could uphold our standards.”
The brand’s London location will “feel right at home in the vibrant, bustling area,” Dover said.
“This is an exciting time for Velvet Taco,” he said in a statement. “When I joined the brand, we had just four locations. To be a part of not only Velvet Taco’s growth to 50 locations in the U.S. but also our incredible international expansion into London is nothing short of remarkable.”
Velvet Taco first launched in Dallas in 2011 by restaurant entrepreneurs Randy DeWitt and FB Society CEO Jack Gibbons. Since then, the brand has seen rapid growth and now operates nearly 50 locations across the U.S. Dallas-Fort Worth leads in footprint size with 14 locations.
