“London doesn’t just reflect trends; it sets them,” says Shereen Ritchie, CEO of Kuvi Hospitality.
It’s no secret that London’s Mexican food scene is thriving. The next destination is Victoria, at The Broadway, St James’s Park, where Coyo Taco will soon launch its London flagship site, with a clear pipeline of further openings to expand across the UK.
The chain is crossing the Atlantic with its first UK branch set to open this year. It has signed a franchise agreement with investment firm Kuvi Hospitality, led by Ritchie, the former managing director at Leon and chief executive at Buns from Home, who will be leading the launch.
“When we encountered Coyo Taco, the fit was immediately obvious. Here was a brand built entirely around freshness, scratch cooking and authentic ingredients, exactly the kind of operational challenge and consumer proposition I’ve spent my career working with,” says Ritchie (pictured, below).
“But what set it apart was the cultural dimension: the music, the art, the community at the heart of everything it does. That combination of culinary integrity and genuine brand personality is rare.”
The promise of connection
Ritchie has spent 25 years in hospitality, beginning at TGI Fridays, where she cleaned tables at 15. Since then, she has garnered impressive titles in the hospitality sector, including as managing director of LEON Restaurants and CEO of Buns from Home. Brands with fresh, from-scratch food have been a thread throughout her career. That experience, combined with a deep knowledge of the UK dining landscape and consumer trends, is what drew Ritchie to this role at Kuvi Hospitality.
“Understanding what it takes to deliver that philosophy consistently, at scale, has shaped a lot of how I think about operations and growth,” says Ritchie. “Kuvi is a franchising platform with a clear mission: to identify the most exciting US restaurant brands and bring them to the UK market. Coyo Taco is the first brand we’re doing that with, and it’s a brilliant starting point.”
Naturally, for Ritchie, hospitality goes beyond ‘transactions’; rather, food and drink are the catalyst for connection: “how we make memories with loved ones, how we celebrate, commiserate and everything in between.”
“It is more than bricks and mortar; it has to be bigger than that. It has to be something that can make a difference, and Coyo can do that,” says Ritchie. “Tacos won’t change the world, but it isn’t a bad place to start – and honestly, they are so delicious that it will change the way you want to eat Mexican cuisine.”
Authenticity at its heart
Coyo Taco has strong roots in Coyoacán, Mexico City, and was founded in Wynwood, Miami’s Latin arts neighbourhood, by Alan Drummond, Sven Vogtland and chef Scott Linquist. The popular taco chain has grown across the US, South America and Europe, known for its fresh tacos, salsas and Mexican street food, with hand-pressed tortillas, frozen margaritas and guac smashed to order, and a late-night speakeasy bar, Bar Coyo, serving tequila and mezcal.
“Coyo Taco is built around three things: authentic Mexico City–style street food, a ‘todo es fresco’ philosophy rooted in fresh, from-scratch ingredients, and an experience-led format that blends fast-casual dining with a late-night bar,” says Ritchie. “It isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a cultural brand where the energy, music and atmosphere carry as much weight as the food itself.
Coyo Taco has expanded internationally with 11 locations worldwide, including six in the US and restaurants in Panama, Portugal, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. The chain has already garnered attention from David Beckham and Barack Obama. It is the latest US brand to expand into the UK, alongside Chick-fil-A and Velvet Taco.
With demand for elevated casual dining particularly popular in London, as consumers increasingly seek venues that offer more than just a meal, Ritchie has faith that the proposition will translate well to the UK.
“On the menu, we’re staying true to the original recipes while making some considered adaptations for the UK market,” says Ritchie. “Rather than overwhelming guests, we’re helping them navigate it; pairing salsas with proteins, making the experience feel accessible without dumbing it down. We’re also introducing a monthly rotating special taco, which we’ll use to spotlight exciting UK suppliers and keep the menu feeling alive.”
Taking on the challenge
Coyo Taco has the opportunity to offer something novel, challenging the perception of Mexican cuisine in the UK, which is heavily influenced by its American counterpart, Tex-Mex.
“Our first site has a large central kitchen that handles the preparation and slow-cooking of all our meats and marinades. We cook the traditional way, wrapping meats in banana leaves, slow cooking for 24 hours,” says Ritchie. “You can’t fake that or take shortcuts on this stuff; you have to make everything with love and care, or it just won’t be Coyo. This central kitchen gives us the infrastructure to supply additional London locations as we grow and move into smaller units, without cutting corners on quality or consistency.”
The chain’s ‘todo es fresco’ philosophy focuses on seasonal and local sourcing. This matches the current shift toward quality and transparency. ‘It’s a supply chain built around integrity rather than convenience,’ says Ritchie.
But despite the growing interest in premium, experience-led casual dining, operators in the UK are under continued pressure as they navigate rising costs, intense competition, and guests expecting more bang for their buck, which will prove to be a challenging backdrop for Coyo Taco to navigate.
“Operating costs are higher here, and navigating licensing is more complex, but that’s part of the challenge, and it’s an exciting one. The brands that will win are those with a clear identity and a compelling reason to visit beyond convenience alone,” says Ritchie. “Within that, there’s a meaningful gap in the Mexican category. Consumer appetite for bold, global flavors is increasing, yet very few brands are delivering authenticity, freshness and cultural energy at any real scale. That’s where Coyo Taco sits.”
Despite expected challenges, Coyo Taco’s popularity and commitment to authenticity support an optimistic outlook for its future in the UK. Success will depend on how enthusiastically UK consumers embrace it in London’s world-renowned food scene.
Lauren Hurrell
