Yolkin breaks into Chinatown London

Following the recent succession of Asian-inspired dessert operators to launch in Chinatown London, Shaftesbury has today announced the opening of macaron ice cream sandwich brand, Yolkin.

The brand’s first permanent ice cream macaron shop will open on 24 Rupert Street, following successful street food stalls on Rupert Street and pop-ups in Soho and Covent Garden.  The 450 sq ft store will cater to 18 covers and offer Yolkin’s signature ice cream macarons that are inspired by South East Asian flavours with a western twist. These include matcha and oreo, pandan and coconut, lychee, black sesame, purple yam and Hong Kong milk tea.  The macarons, which are made with almonds, are naturally gluten-free. 

Founded by Hong-Kong born self-taught baker Sammie Le, with a no waste ethos, ice cream is added to the brand’s creations to avoid wasting the egg yolks leftover from making macarons.  The store has been designed by Olly Simpson and features vintage reclaimed wood with counter seating and tables, biodegradable cutlery and an ‘Ice Cream Dreams’ sign emblazoned in neon.

Commenting on the news, Julia Wilkinson, Head of Group Restaurant Strategy at Shaftesbury, said: “Yolkin’s delightful ice cream creations are a wonderful addition to Rupert Street. The popularity of their street-food stalls and pop-ups, coupled with the social media buzz generated, makes them an incredibly exciting brand that blends Far East traditions with modern trends.  We are proud to welcome them to our growing range of leading Asian-inspired dessert options within Chinatown London.”

Sammie Le, Founder of Yolkin, added: “Returning to Rupert Street for our first permanent Yolkin store feels incredible.  We’re proud to continue our brands journey in Chinatown London with its diverse mix of tastes and flavours, we hope many more people can discover and enjoy our delicious macaron ice cream sandwiches inspired by the flavours of my childhood.”

This announcement follows the recent news that a trio of dessert operators, RORO, Guo C 100 and TSUJIRI opened in Newport Court, part of Shaftesbury's 48,000 sq ft Central Cross mixed-use development bordering Chinatown, Soho, Covent Garden and Leicester Square. 

ENDS

For further information please contact Amanda McNally or Sarah Stone at Aver via amandamcnally@aver.uk.com or sarahstone@aver.uk.com

Chinatown

China is changing and traditional values are being complemented by new ideals and trends, inspired by other parts of the Far East and the West.  This is influencing what Chinese people and visitors expect in Chinatown.  Shaftesbury understands this and is experiencing directly the evolution of China, spending time in its cities to see, taste and hear what is happening first hand. 

Whilst inherently Chinese, under Shaftesbury’s long-term curation and partnership with the community, Chinatown is evolving to reflect the changes occurring in the Far East, creating is a mix of tradition and modernism that makes cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul some of the most exciting places in the world. 

中国城

中国正在经历翻天覆地的变化，而在东亚其它地区和西方的影响下，中国的许多传统价值也正在和新的理念与潮流相融合。这样的变化也在影响着中国人与其他地方游客对中国城的看法与期待。Shaftesbury对这样的趋势有着深刻的理解，而且也对中国的高速发展有着直接的体会。在过去的一段时间里，Shaftesbury的一些员工被派往中国，亲自去观看、去品尝、去倾听今天中国的脉搏。

虽然伦敦中国城本质上还是中国传统的延伸，但在Shaftesbury长期的精心策划与管理下，并且在与当地社群的合作下，中国城正在成为反映亚洲巨变的一面镜子。如今，中国城和上海、北京、东京、首尔等等许多令人激动的亚洲城市一样，成为了一个传统与现代相互碰撞、相互融合的地方。 

Shaftesbury 

Shaftesbury PLC is a Real Estate Investment Trust, which invests exclusively in the liveliest parts of London's West End. Our objective is to deliver long-term growth in rental income, capital values and shareholder returns. 

Focused on restaurants, leisure and retail, our exceptional portfolio extends to around 15 acres, clustered mainly in Carnaby, Seven Dials and Chinatown, with substantial ownerships in east and west Covent Garden, Soho and Fitzrovia. 

In addition, we have a 50% interest in the Longmartin joint venture with The Mercers' Company, which has a long leasehold interest, extending to 1.9 acres, in St Martin's Courtyard in Covent Garden. 

Our proven management strategy is to create and foster distinctive, attractive and prosperous locations. It is implemented by an experienced management team with an innovative approach to long-term, sustainable income and value creation, and a focus on shareholder returns. We have a strong balance sheet with conservative leverage. 

有关Shaftesbury 

Shaftesbury是一个房地产投资信托基金，其主要的投资对象是伦敦倍受追捧、炙手可热的西区（West End）繁华地段。我们的目标是较长的一段时期内，提高租金收入、资本价值以及股东收益。 

 Shaftesbury专注于伦敦西区最有活力的区域发展零售、餐饮和娱乐业，我们的资产组合的总面积达到15英亩，集中在卡纳比大街（Carnaby）、七晷区（Seven Dials）和中国城（Chinatown）区域；同时，Shaftesbury在科文特花园（Covent Garden）东、西两侧、Soho区和菲茨罗维亚区（Fitzrovia）也拥有大量地产。 

 另外，我们和 The Mercers’ Company 共同拥有 Longmartin 项目50%的收益。Mercers’ Company 则拥有科文特花园（Covent Garden）里 St Martin’s Courtyard 区多达1.9英亩地产的长期租赁权益。 

  我们行之有效的管理策略旨在创造并促进多个独特、有吸引力、位于繁华地段的地产项目。负责执行管理策略的是一支经验丰富的管理团队，他们运用创新的方法长期稳定地带来收益和价值的增长，并且时刻着眼于股东的收益。我们的资产负债表呈现出强劲、健康的态势，仅有较为保守的杠杆率。