Alfred Works, the new food hall from award winning hospitality group, Blend Family, has today revealed the first wave of food partners set to open at the reimagined Custard Factory site. All three food partners are making their Birmingham debut and bringing their dishes to the city for the very first time.
Opening in 2026 in the heart of Digbeth, Alfred Works is a bold new chapter for the historic site, named after custard powder inventor Alfred Bird. Spanning over 17,500 sq. ft of indoor space with 15 kitchens, a large outdoor courtyard, social gaming, family-friendly areas and a huge additional events space across the River Rea, Alfred Works is designed to be a place where the whole city can come together over great food, culture and connection.
Leading the first wave of announcements are three exciting food concepts from outside Birmingham, each bringing distinctive flavours, stories and cult followings with them.
Fuego 1987, home of the viral Birria Ramen is one of the UK street food scene’s biggest social media success stories. Fuego 1987 shot to fame with its indulgent birria ramen, a rich, slow cooked beef broth fused with bold Mexican flavours. Known for stacked tacos and comfort food, Fuego 1987 will open their first Birmingham location at Alfred Works, bringing viral dishes from screens straight to the plate.
Baity is known for championing authentic Palestinian flavours. Baity serves soulful, home style dishes rooted in tradition and hospitality. Expect hand rolled falafel, vibrant salads, fluffy flatbreads and slow cooked meats, all inspired by family recipes passed down through generations. Their arrival at Alfred Works marks Baity’s first ever site in Birmingham, bringing authentic Palestinian street food to the city.
House of Habesha offers authentic Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine. A celebration of East African food and culture, House of Habesha is renowned for its rich, aromatic stews, injera flatbread and communal style of eating that brings people together. Drawing on Eritrean and Ethiopian heritage, the menu is bold, warming and deeply rooted in tradition. Their Birmingham debut at Alfred Works introduces a cuisine rarely seen in mainstream, central food scenes.
More food partners will be announced in the coming weeks, with the full line-up set to reflect Blend Family’s commitment to independent operators, global flavours and concepts that feel genuinely exciting for the city.
Alongside its food offering, Alfred Works will also be home to Blend Family’s second Blend Culinary Foundation Kitchen, continuing their mission to tackle food poverty and support access to food education. The site will also welcome the third location of The Cream Store, a leading independent retailer known for its community-led approach to fashion and lifestyle.
Matt Bigland, Co-founder of Blend Family, said: “We want Alfred Works to introduce the Birmingham community to food they might not have had before, food partners with stories, heritage and serious flavour. This first wave is all about newness: new cuisines, new voices and food partners making their Birmingham debut in a space that’s built for the city and the community.”
The aha Forum, in Partnership with Thomas Franks: Movement forms Community
