Farmer J Grows Like a Weed - revenue up 50% as the bowls go to New York

Grain bowls are big business. Farmer J's turnover jumped from £27.9m to £41.1m in the year to 28 December 2025, Big Hospitality reports, a rise of around 50% driven by new openings and like-for-like growth.

Growth isn't cheap, though. The loss after tax widened to £1.46m from £682,000 the year before. The brand opened four sites during the year to reach 17. Since then it has opened its first site abroad, on 52nd Street in New York, in January 2026, plus three more in London. Another is due before the year is out, with one more early next year.

The ambitions are healthy too. Founder Jonathan Recanati's team is targeting at least five UK openings in 2027 and two more in the US, helped by the $23m (£17.5m) it raised in November 2025. The business says it keeps investing in its people, systems and digital ordering.

So what for hospo people? That's roughly ten new sites in the pipeline over the next 18 months, which means openings teams, site managers and kitchen leads. Fast-casual brands that are growing tend to promote from within, quickly. If you want to run your own site by 2027, this is the kind of brand to look at.