Wok Boyz, an Asian street food restaurant based in Dubai, has opened its first location in Canada and is looking to expand by at least 15 stores within the next five years.
The first location in Canada opened on January 26th in Liberty Village in Toronto and is 1,000 square feet.
“Starting in Dubai in 2017 as a humble homegrown brand, we have woven our journey through expansions and challenges, notably the global pause brought by the pandemic. Adaptation became our strategy, leading us to explore the cloud kitchen model, which significantly propelled our growth. Today, with immense pride and a sense of coming full circle, we are introducing our unique blend of personalized Asian cuisine to Toronto, a city I have always considered a second home. It is not just about opening another location; it is about bringing a piece of our journey, our flavours, and our innovative dining experience to the vibrant heart of Canada,” says Gaurav Sabharwal, CEO and Founder of WOK BOYZ.
Toronto, known for its vibrant food scene and diverse population, was a natural choice for the brand’s first location in Canada. Sabharwal, who is Canadian himself, was drawn to Toronto because of its dynamic growth and the opportunity to introduce a new culinary concept to his home. Liberty Village, with its mix of young professionals, offered the perfect setting for the brand’s first location.
Personalized Meals
The Liberty Village location offers an innovative dining experience, where customers can take the lead in their meals. Customers can choose from a variety of noodles, rice, proteins, vegetables, and sauces that represent different Asian countries – “offering a culinary experience that is diverse and delicious.”
The experience is topped off with a “theatrical flair” as meals are prepared on a fiery wok in front of customers.
“Imagine walking into our space, where you become the artist of your meal, crafting it with a palette of flavours from across Asia. At the core of our menu is the build your own concept … It is all about creating a dish that is uniquely yours watching it come to life on a fiery wok right before your eyes. This personalized experience, where you are not just a spectator but a participant in the creation of your meal, is what sets us apart.”
Expansion Goals
Looking ahead, the brand has ambitious plans for the Canadian market. The goal is to open at least 15 stores in the Toronto area within the next five years, including Mississauga, Milton, and Kitchener, and wants to grow its footprint to “become part of the Canadian dining landscape.”
This year, WOK BOYZ will be opening three new locations, with the next one potentially in Kitchener.
Outside of the GTA, the brand is going to be starting its search to expand into new provinces, such as British Columbia. Sabharwal says he hopes to secure the location as soon as possible and start development, but until then, an exact location will be unknown. As for other locations, the brand is looking for the right opportunity, and would “love to get into Mississauga. Once we have the right location, I think we will commit and move forward with the development plan.”
15 store locations is the minimum to expect within the next five years as Sabharwal says if there are other opportunities to take up, he will.
“As far as our vision for Canada goes, we are just getting started. This year, we are aiming to unveil three stores in the Toronto area alone. With the first one already making waves, we are on the hunt for our next location, eyeing spots in Kitchener for its dynamic atmosphere and potential – but why stop there? Over the next five years, we have set our sights on a minimum of 15 stores within the GTA, and let’s not forget about our dreams for Vancouver and beyond. It is not just about numbers for us; it is about weaving our brand into Canadian communities, bringing our unique flavours to every corner of this vibrant country. The Canadian market is huge and the opportunity is immense.”
Sabharwal says he is also looking to continue expanding internationally as WOK BOYZ has already had successful launches in places such as Ghana and has recently opened in Oman.
As for keeping up with what consumers are looking for, the brand continues to innovate by tracking feedback and adapting to be aligned with their preferences. WOK BOYZ’s in-house chef is also constantly creating new recipe developments and is currently working on a new dish for the next quarter.
“I look forward to working in Canada and our start has been brilliant. We managed to have about 250 people on the day of the launch at Liberty Market, so it was fantastic and a very encouraging launch – Toronto is showing us a lot of love. The level of feedback and comments we are getting is amazing and I think Torontonians really know how to express their comments that we can use. So we are really thankful for all the love that Toronto is showing us and we look forward to leveraging on all of that and tracking our growth.”
Excellent article. It’s amazing how the foods around the world continue to blend.