Itsu Chicken Soup Dumplings

Itsu is a British brand that specialises in East Asian-inspired fast food and grocery products. Founded in 1997 by Julian Metcalfe, the brand initially gained fame through its restaurant chain before expanding into a significant retail range found in supermarkets across the United Kingdom and Europe.

While the brand is headquartered in the United Kingdom, its frozen dumpling range, including these chicken soup dumplings (Xiao Long Bao), is typically manufactured in South Korea to ensure authentic production techniques and high quality. The brand focus is on providing healthy, calorie-conscious Asian cuisine options for the Western market.

In terms of ownership, the itsu [grocery] business serves as the retail arm of the itsu group. In 2021, the investment firm Bridgepoint took a minority stake in the restaurant business to fuel global expansion, while Julian Metcalfe remains the primary visionary and owner behind the overall brand ecosystem.