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One of Australia's leading quick service retail (QSR) food chains Sushi Sushi is adding a new brand to the group following the acquisition of Sushi Musa for an undisclosed sum, in a move that marks a departure from its traditional model of back-of-house food preparation.
The acquisition encompasses nine Sushi Musa stores, located across key suburban growth corridors in Sydney, Newcastle and Canberra, taking the group's total store count to 170 including both grab-and-go and destination dining offerings.
From its origins in Box Hill, Victoria in 1998, Sushi Sushi is credited as a pioneer of Japanese cuisine in Australia, and in 2019 a majority stake was acquired by Odyssey Private Equity for an estimated $60 million.
Sushi Musa was only founded just the year before Odyssey's buyout, and has since become renowned for bringing theatrical cooking to the sushi train concept with its highly skilled chefs showcasing their exceptional fish cutting skills and fresh produce front of house throughout the day.
Sushi Sushi CEO Stephen Anders says welcoming the Sushi Musa brand into the group is another significant milestone in the expansion model, underscoring a dedication to growth and innovation in the category.
"As the pioneers of the sushi category in Australia we are excited to grow this concept nationally," Anders says.
"Until now, our store model has meant preparation has traditionally been back of house and the knife skills of our staff have predominantly gone unnoticed.
"Making sushi is an art and it is beautiful to watch. The Sushi Musa model puts the chefs front of house and on display. No other brand with scale showcases these skills, so integrating Sushi Musa's unique offerings into our portfolio enhances our ability to deliver an exceptional and engaging dining experience to our customers on a larger scale."
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