Pasta Evangelists has unveiled ambitious plans to open 100 restaurants across the UK over the next five years, in a £30 million expansion drive that is expected to create up to 1,500 jobs.
The London-based fresh pasta brand, which began as a recipe kit delivery service before branching into dining, is seeking new sites and franchise partners across the South of England, the Midlands and Scotland. The company says it is also exploring a ‘Pasta Apprenticeship’ scheme to attract new talent and help current staff develop long-term careers in hospitality.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves hailed the announcement as “great news and another vote of confidence in the UK,” adding that it demonstrated “the dynamism and resilience of British businesses” as the government focuses on economic growth.
Co-founder and CEO Alessandro Savelli said the company’s goal is to become “the UK’s fastest-growing casual dining hotspot” for pasta lovers.
“The demand for our fresh, beautifully cooked artisan pasta is growing. We expect our plans to create up to 1,500 new jobs. We already employ 350 people and as part of our recruitment drive, we’re looking into options for a ‘Pasta Apprenticeship’ scheme to encourage young people into the workplace.”
Savelli said sustainable growth is key to the company’s strategy, noting that while the hospitality sector is under pressure, Pasta Evangelists has “bucked the trend” with five confirmed new openings in just three months.
The group recently opened its first restaurant outside London in Guildford and a new site in Farringdon. Three more London restaurants – in Fulham, Queensway and New Oxford Street – are due to launch in the coming weeks, bringing the total to 11.
Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Finn Lagun credited the brand’s success to offering more than just dining: “A big part of our success is the experiential element, with our famous fresh pasta-making courses. Over 100,000 people have already learnt the art of pasta-making at our Pasta Academy, and with our growth plans, we could see over a million Britons learning from our chefs.”
The expansion marks the latest phase in the company’s evolution from an online food start-up into a multi-channel hospitality brand combining restaurants, experiential events, and its original pasta delivery business.
