KAIKAKU, derived from the Japanese term for "radical change", has signed for Unit 22 at the Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury, London, which was recently opened by the World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall.
International real estate advisor Savills, acting on behalf of landlord Lazari, advised on the deal which saw KAIKAKU, trading as Common Room, agree to a 10-year lease on 2,791 sq. ft, which functions as a restaurant, robotics lab, office, and central production kitchen.
KAIKAKU was founded in April 2023 by a highly innovative team bringing together expertise from robotic engineering and hospitality. The company aims to use automation, robotics, 3D printed components and AI technologies and wider operational economics, to transform the customer experience within the quick service restaurant sector. This deal marks a significant milestone in the operator’s expansion plans, with KAIKAKU actively working with Savills to acquire up to 10 more sites across London in 2024.
Olly Eades, Associate in the National Retail Team at Savills, comments: “Leading restaurant chains worldwide are embracing technology to streamline their operations and elevate customer experiences, and KAIKAKU is one of the most exciting companies implementing robotics in a hospitality first approach. We are delighted to have secured them as a tenant for the Brunswick Centre in a deal that is key for their further growth plans and are looking forward to helping them expand further.”
Josef Chen, CEO, KAIKAKU, adds: “For too long robotics companies in the food and beverage sector have been making mechanical horses, with convoluted robot arms and humanoids, KAIKAKU aims to shake this up and build the engine that will power the next 10,000 restaurants of the future. Brunswick represents our first step in realising this ambition as we look to scale the Common Room concept across the UK.”