EARLY DAYS

Welcome to Rolled… ‘the UK’s first Aussie-style sushi brand’. The brainchild of Adam Miller, his website encourages you to ‘wrap your laughing gear around this’. And with business growth on the menu, we are not the only ones smiling. 

Founded in Manchester by proud Aussie and sushi fanatic Miller, his experience of the cultural and culinary melting pot that is Melbourne was an inspiration. But a key turning point was an exchange trip to Japan – and the realisation that there were no sushi handrolls to enjoy. They’d actually been invented in his home country in the 1990s, before finding a global following in the early 2000s. The kernel of an idea had already been planted.  

In 2021, Miller’s hospitality career brought him to the UK, and three years later he left his job to pursue the goal of introducing us to his beloved sushi handrolls – with a first store opening at Manchester’s Trafford Centre in August 2024. You can now also enjoy Rolled at the city’s Arndale shopping centre and London’s St Paul’s Market Place.  

So, while the growing consumer demand for sushi is common knowledge, are there specific trends currently in play?

“We are definitely seeing an increase in health and fitness-conscious thinking, as evidenced by the rise in popularity of running clubs, pilates studios, and decrease in alcohol consumption, especially across younger demographics,” said Miller. “This kind of shift in attitudes and behaviour directly complements a move towards healthy eating, with brands like Atis, The Salad Project, itsu and others taking advantage and expanding rapidly.

“And the food to go market is largely defined by convenience, transportability, speed and price point. Historically, sushi has aligned well with all of these as it’s pre-made and packaged, making it incredibly quick and easy to takeaway. You can also typically choose from a variety of options, giving you full control over flavours, portion size and spend.  

“At Rolled, our Aussie-style sushi handrolls perfectly encapsulate all these characteristics. However, we take it a step further by eliminating the need for any eating utensils, allowing customers to consume easily on the go with their hands.”

ON A ROLL

As a new and smaller brand, Rolled is still finding its feet in terms of both branding and supply relationships. However, Miller is enjoying working with a mix of local partners at a community level at one end of the spectrum, as well as global partners at the other (specifically in tech). “In the future, we would love to work with like-minded brands, who push the envelope a bit and align with our desire to spread good Aussie vibes.”

Miller’s previous hospitality experience gives him an deal insight into this ultra-competitive sector, so he is continuously focused on evolving the product and name. 

“We are fortunate to boast that we’re the first Aussie-style sushi brand and we’re looking to solidify ourselves in the broader sushi/grab-and-go market. We’ve been able to quickly build a community of expats and locals who have been to or lived in Australia and ride the wave of incredible support from these tens of thousands of fans.”

It’s never easy establishing a new FTG operation – and there’s plenty to navigate. 

“But seeing the way people have responded to what we are doing is incredibly fulfilling and makes all the challenges worth it,” continued Miller. “We have learned that creating a moment for someone by adding a little Aussie to their day is so powerful, because it kicks off a relationship with our sushi lovers. 

“Beyond that, running a business as a pair of young brothers (JJ is marketing director) from the other side of the world has been a steep learning curve. We’ve had to draw on our creativity and perseverance to achieve what we have in such a small time. We also surround ourselves with people that fuel our belief and support our operations so well – and leveraging the expertise from those who have been there before has been crucial.”

In terms of what comes next, the mission is relatively simple. 

“To become the UK’s most loved sushi brand. To achieve this, we’ve constantly got our ears to the ground when deciding on our next site. Continuing to spread the message that, a) Aussie-style sushi is the best sushi you’ve never tried, and b) it’s here for you to guide us in all of our messaging and interactions with the UK public.

“Basically, having fun is our superpower. It’s Australian sushi, for crying out loud. If we aren't having fun with that, then what’s the point?”