Salad bar Chopped to open second Cork location

CORK city's lunch offering is set for a boost with the expansion of Chopped's operation on Leeside.

It is understood that the popular fast-food chain is planning to open its second Cork branch in the coming weeks, taking up a location on the Glasheen Road near UCC.

It will also be just minutes from CUH and the busy Wilton area.

It comes just months after Chopped began its Leeside expansion with an outlet in Little Island.

The salad bar took up a location in the Spar in the Eastgate Business Park and has proven a huge hit in the area.

The new branch is expected to be a similar operation.

The move is part of a major expansion announced earlier this year by Chopped founder Brian Lee, which will see the chain operating in as many as 40 locations by the end of the year.

Brian Lee (right) founder of Chopped with Andy Chen, co-founder, Jonathan Parkhill, chief operations officer and Shane Cantillon, managing director Spar at their new franchise at Spar in Eastgate, Little Island, which opened earlier this year.

Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Mr Lee said that the Cork store has been a 'massive success.'

"We are delighted to be opening our second store in Cork after the massive success of our first Cork outlet in Little Island. Cork will be a vital location for Freshly Chopped's expansion over the next number of years as we continue our rollout across the country."

In addition to its Little Island outlet, the salad chain operates in Dublin, Kildare and Galway and is a huge hit.

Branches at UCD and Dundrum are particularly popular, with counties Waterford and Wicklow also expected to see the arrival of Chopped in the coming months.

In the coming months, Cork should also see the opening of Caffe Nero, with the coffee chain currently recruiting staff for its Oliver Plunkett St outlet.

A planning application for a second Caffe Nero outlet on Patrick St was rejected in recent months, though the cafe has appealed the decision.