Fushi smells potential for 30-strong UK chain

Fruity health and beauty brand Fushi has formulated ambitious plans to become a 30-store retail chain in the UK.

Fushi has just unveiled its flagship store in upmarket London shopping complex Duke of York's Barracks, and will open a third Harvey Nichols concession in the Manchester store this August.

The trendy retailer has a cult celebrity following that includes Jerry Hall and Patsy Kensit, and has the unique selling point of preparing tailor-made fresh fruit and herbal-flavoured beauty products to order.

Customers can watch staff mix pear shampoo with fresh pears or strawberry shower gel fresh from the punnet.

Founded by managing director Ranish Jansari in 2001, Fushi is Japanese for 'eternal living'. The new retail identity has been developed by design company Caulder Moore and the flagship store format will provide the blueprint for national roll-out.

Jansari said the first target was to reach a critical mass of eight shops within London in the next two years.

'Once we have completed our coverage of London, we will look to major cities throughout the UK such as Glasgow, Bristol and Birmingham,' he said. He will seek out suitable sites of 900 to 1,000 sq ft (84 to 93 sq m).

'We have come up with a ball park figure of 30 shops in the UK within the next five years, and are already talking to companies about franchising in Europe.'

Jansari describes Fushi as a 'highly desirable concept' that taps into the niche market for fresh bespoke beauty products, with price points above middle market.