Sonny's

Gluten Free Fast Food

Author

Quick Pitch
November 05, 2024

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Categorised as EIS/SEIS eligible

The UK’s EIS/ SEIS schemes are incredibly important for early stage startup funding, making the UK highly competitive for securing investment. At Quick Pitch we think it’s crucial to champion startups taking advantage of this super power even if pre-launch.

Today’s feature of Quick Pitch is an early-stage start up making waves in the gluten-free community by shaking up the fast food industry.

The Market

  • 13% of the UK are now gluten free and 1 in 100 people suffer from coeliac disease, with around 500,000 people living with the disease undiagnosed.

  • Although there are gluten free dining options in the UK, many of them are made in gluten filled kitchens - not a risk a lot of coeliacs are willing to take.

  • This week's business is looking to create the first gluten-free only fast food restaurant in the UK, reducing the risk for cross-contamination to zero.

One Liner

Sonny’s is the first gluten free (only) fast food restaurant in the UK.

Quickfire

  • Headquarters: London

  • Employee count: 1

  • Business model: B2C / QSR

  • Investors: four angel investors

  • Funding amount: £400K

  • Traction metrics: 

    • Waiting list of ~500 people

    • Social announcement video that gained 70,000 likes from the gluten-free community

    • 600 person survey proved coeliacs would not try current gluten-free options out there as they don’t want to take the risk.

Due Diligence

APPEALS

  • First mover advantage: No other brand has opened a gluten-free only chain allowing Sonny’s to build the first.

  • Zero cross contamination: Gluten can be transferred through utensils, fryers and even through the air. A crumb of gluten is enough to make a coeliac person severely ill.

  • Highly focused community: Coeliac’s don’t have another option therefore creating a natural brand loyalty.

POTENTIAL RISKS

  • Coeliac cure: Currently, the only effective treatment is a strictly gluten-free diet. However there are several drugs in clinical trials that could offer alternatives to dietary treatments.

  • Established fast food brand builds separate outlets: With Sonny’s creating a lot of noise in the coeliac community other brands may see opportunity to open competitors. With their brand recognition this could pose a risk to Sonny’s shore of its TAM.

Competition

  • Leon: A number of gluten free items on the menu but like most chains it’s not safe due to cross contamination.

  • Honest Burgers: Offer gluten free burgers but this isn’t a grab and go option, so isn't convenient and a higher price point than fast food.

  • Subway: Offer one gluten free bread option however an even greater risk of cross contamination.

Founders

  • Founder; Sonny Wells: Advocate for coeliac disease awareness and 11 years experience in property BD.

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