Mango Tree Outlines International Expansion Plans; Partners Alison Vickers in UK

Mango Tree, a leading Asian restaurant operator, has appointed Alison Vickers as its representative in the UK.

Ms Vickers, who spent more than 17 years as a director of YO! Sushi, is tasked with identifying new opportunities for Mango Tree as it looks to expand its portfolio of Thai restaurants in the UK, Western Europe and Scandinavia.

The expansion will focus on major transport hubs such as airports and railway stations, a continuation of Mango Tree’s successful strategy in Asia, which has already seen the launch of outlets in locations such as Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Tokyo Station.

Mango Tree aims to tap into the growing appetite for authentic Thai cuisine. There are now estimated to be about 2,000 Thai restaurants in the UK alone, mainly in town or city centre locations.

“Alison Vickers is a leading authority in the restaurant sector and her vision of introducing restaurant brands to non-traditional locations matches perfectly with our own strategy. We have already started launching new concepts that are well-suited to transport hubs, where diners are increasingly seeking a healthier alternative to fast food. With its light, fresh flavours, Thai cuisine meets this need perfectly,” said Trevor MacKenzie, Mango Tree’s Global Managing Director. “European diners, especially those in the UK, have a strong appetite for Thai cuisine. Millions of Europeans now travel to Thailand every year, so they recognise the dishes and want to enjoy the same flavours when they return home. With Alison onboard, we look forward to bringing authentic Thai cuisine to convenient locations all across the UK and Europe in future.”

Mango Tree now operates approximately 70 restaurant outlets in 14 countries around the globe under a series of brands, all of which specialise in authentic Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine. The new partnership with Alison Vickers is expected to help Mango Tree achieve its target of reaching 100 restaurant outlets worldwide by 2020.

“Mango Tree is already recognised and respected in the UK, due to the success of its high-end restaurant in London. I am very happy to partner Trevor and his team and look forward to being able to build this excellent brand even further across the region. Thai has become one of the most sought-after global cuisines in the UK, and I envisage significant opportunities to expand the Mango Tree footprint to key destinations – including major airports and railway stations,” said Ms Vickers.

A total of 1.01 million Brits visited Thailand in 2017, spending THB77 billion (approx. GBP1.8 billion) and making the UK the fifth most valuable overseas market for Thailand’s tourism industry.

See latest HD Video Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Mango Tree, England, Thailand, Food.