South African salon chain Sorbet arrives in London

Popular South African beauty salon franchise Sorbet has opened its first UK store in Muswell Hill, North London.

The salon chain is pitched at a younger clientele, with a menu of “trend driven”, “perfectly affordable” manicures, pedicures, nail extensions, body waxes, massages and facials. It also claims to guarantee that if a client isn’t totally satisfied with their treatment it will be free of charge.

“We aim to do for the UK what we have done for South Africa; to continue delivering a feeling of self-confidence and delight amongst our guests,” said Jade Kirkel, marketing manager for Sorbet. 

The salons use Dermalogica and Environ for skincare and Gelish for gel-polish manicures. Sorbet launched in 2005 and currently operates 136 salons in South Africa across Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Hartbeespoort.

CEO Ian Fuhr commented: “Our entry into the UK market has been a long time coming. It’s clear that the beauty market in the UK is fragmented with a handful of salons focused predominately on their profit margins rather than the quality service and results to ensure customer return.  There is an opportunity here for Sorbet to deliver a consistent brand message with a three-pronged approach to ensure customer satisfaction.”