Japanese restaurant business Okami is ready to build on its Queensland success and introduce its fledgling chain, I Love Dumplings Express, to the market.
Business partner and head of operations Zhaoyu Li told Franchise Executives “The numbers we are running are quite promising. Okami has 52 stores and is doing quite well in Queensland, so that’s why we think this is the right opportunity for us.”
Launched as a food truck business in Melbourne in May 2025, by July I Love Dumplings Express had its first bricks-and-mortar store.
It now has four company-owned stores, one franchised store in Wollongong in New South Wales, and another franchise store under construction.
I Love Dumplings will duplicate Okami’s centralised kitchen operation, and is promoting both its food truck and store models to potential franchisees.
The business kickstarted its expansion strategy exhibiting at the Brisbane franchising expo.
