PizzaExpress
PizzaExpress is a restaurant group based in the United Kingdom and owned by a group of bondholders. It has over 470 restaurants across the United Kingdom and 100 overseas in Europe, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, The Philippines, The United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.[1] It was founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot.[2] PizzaExpress celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015. In July 2020, the business was taken over by its bondholders under a debt-for-equity swap with previous owner Hony Capital.[3] In November 2020, Hony Capital left the business and the group restructure completed, help cutting the casual dining chain’s debt by more than £400 million.[4]
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Type | Private company |
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Industry | Restaurant |
Founded | 1965 |
Founder | Peter Boizot |
Headquarters | Uxbridge, England, UK |
Key people | Allan Leighton, Chairman and David Campbell, Group Chief Executive Officer |
Owner | A group of bondholders |
Website | www |
History
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Founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot, PizzaExpress opened its first restaurant in London's Wardour Street. Inspired by a trip to Italy, Boizot brought back to London a pizza oven from Naples and a chef from Sicily.[5]
In 1969, jazz performances began at its Dean Street restaurant, London.[6]
PizzaExpress expanded into the Republic of Ireland in 1995 and currently operates 14 restaurants there under the brand name Milano.[7] Additionally, the company owns the brand name Marzano. Originally Marzano was used in countries where the brand name Pizza Express was not available, as with the use of the name Milano in the Republic of Ireland, but it also exists in some territories, such as Cyprus, to differentiate between the restaurants selling primarily pizza and those offering a wider range of non-pizza meals inspired by Italian cuisine.[8] It is also used for a cafe-bar run as an adjunct to the branch of Pizza Express in The Forum in Norwich, "Cafe Bar Marzano".[9]
In 2011, PizzaExpress launched a major rebrand of its UK restaurants, with menu changes, a black and white logo and the widespread use of stripes, both for staff uniforms and for restaurant decor.[10]
In July 2014 the group was sold to the China-based private equity firm Hony Capital in a deal worth £900 million.[11]
In 2017, PizzaExpress launched 'PizzaExpress Live'.
In October 2019, PizzaExpress hired financial advisors in preparation for its talks with creditors. The chain had been experiencing financial difficulties arising from a downturn in consumer demand for eating out.[12]
In March 2020, all UK restaurants were forced to close indefinitely due to nationwide lockdown rules introduced by the government to limit the spread of COVID-19. On 28 May 2020, select London restaurants reopened for delivery services as the government began to lift lockdown restrictions.[13][14] In July it was announced that "dozens" of the closed restaurants would not be reopening. The restaurant group was reported to have a debt pile of £1.1 billion.[15] The next month, it was announced that the company is set to close around 67 restaurants throughout the UK and also cut 1,100 jobs.[16]
In July 2020, the business was taken over by its bondholders under a debt-for-equity swap with previous owner Hony Capital.[17] In November 2020, the group restructure completed and helped cut the casual dining chain’s debt by more than £400 million.[18]
Ownership
PizzaExpress was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1993 with franchises opening across the UK. UK franchises were then bought back en masse in 1996. TDR Capital and Capricorn Associates then bought the company in 2003 turning it private again.[19] In 2005, PizzaExpress floated on the London Stock Exchange, as part of Gondola Holdings.[20] It was then bought by private equity group Cinven as the Gondola Group in 2007.[21] On 12 July 2014 it was announced that Chinese group Hony Capital had bought PizzaExpress for £900 million.[22]
In July 2020, the business was taken over by its bondholders under a debt-for-equity swap with previous owner Hony Capital.[23] In November 2020, Hony Capital left the business and the group restructure completed, help cutting the casual dining chain’s debt by more than £400 million.[24]
Fare
Since its foundation, PizzaExpress has specialised primarily in handmade pizza in the traditional Italian style.
PizzaExpress introduced the lighter pizza Leggera, the first pizza range on the high street that contains around 500 calories.[25]
In 2008, PizzaExpress started a Guest Chef Series with chef Theo Randall, of Theo Randall at InterContinental London, creating exclusive dishes for its menu.[26] Francesco Mazzei, of L'Anima, came on board in 2010 to develop a menu inspired by the cuisine of Calabria.[27]
The celebrity chef series continued in 2012 with the introduction of two pizzas made by television cook Valentine Warner. Warner introduced the fennel and salami pizza and the puttanesca pizza.[28]
Music
PizzaExpress has supported the jazz community from its early days when it opened its first jazz club in 1969 in Dean Street, London. Since then an array of notable artists have played from Ella Fitzgerald and Amy Winehouse, to supporting early performances by Norah Jones and Jamie Cullum.[29]
Za
Za is a brand of PizzaExpress offering a more casual version of the pizzeria in the United Kingdom. The first restaurant was launched at the Fenchurch Street site in February 2019.[30] The opening of Za is part of a five-year plan to refresh and improve the brand, called Future Express.[31] The menu is centered around PizzaExpress pizzas, sold by the slice, but also with the same toppings available in a wrap made from PizzaExpress dough. The brand focuses on breakfast, with flat breads, bacon, eggs or spinach. Piadina and salads form part of the lunch menu and the site is fully licensed.
The Fenchurch Street test location closed in December 2019, but PizzaExpress have committed to bringing Za back in a different location in 2020.
Design and art
Peter Boizot commissioned Italian restaurant designer and cartoonist Enzo Apicella in the 1960s to design the PizzaExpress identity and over 80 restaurants.[32]
In 2002, PizzaExpress launched PizzaExpress Prospects Contemporary Art Prize with pop artist Peter Blake.[33] Peter Blake's connection with PizzaExpress was extended when he donated 26 original pieces to the Chiswick restaurant.
PizzaExpress created a 'Living Lab' in October 2010, in Richmond, trialling new ideas from design to sound, collaborating with designer Ab Rogers.[34]
Philanthropy
PizzaExpress introduced the Pizza Veneziana in 1977 to help save Venice from sinking by donating 5p of every pizza sold to the Venice in Peril Fund. Over the years the amount donated from each pizza has increased to 25p.[2] From 2008, donations from the Veneziana pizza go to the Veneziana Fund, where 50% is donated to the Venice in Peril Fund and 50% is given to the restoration, repair and maintenance of buildings, fixtures and fittings of buildings and works of art created before 1750.[35]
In 1999, PizzaExpress introduced its Schools Programme, a programme where the company turns its restaurants into classrooms, educating children about fresh ingredients, how to run a local business and how to cook for themselves.[36]
In 2016, PizzaExpress launched its partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, with a discretionary 25p donation from every Padana pizza sold to help Macmillan provide essential financial, emotional, medical and practical support for people affected by cancer. As of May 2017, the partnership has raised over £500,000.[37]
Controversy
In 2008, the company was reported as paying staff less than the legal minimum wage, relying on tips to make up the difference. This led to a campaign in Parliament to make this practice illegal.[38]
References
- "About PizzaExpressBusiness | PizzaExpress Business". www.pizzaexpressbusiness.com.
- Chris Blackhurst (26 January 1997). "Mr Pizza and all that jazz; Profile: Peter Boizot - Life and Style". London: The Independent. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- "Hony Capital's PizzaExpress to cut 1,100 jobs as it agrees to restructuring deal". Private Equity News.
- "Allan Leighton to be Pizza Express chairman after restructuring". www.thetimes.co.uk.
- "A slice of the action". The Guardian. London. 9 February 2003. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- "PizzaExpress founder Peter Boizot an Industry Icon". Peach Report. 19 November 2010. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- "About Milano". Milano.ie. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- "About Us". Pizzaexpress. Archived from the original on 22 February 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- "Eat/Drink". The Forum. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- Chapman, Matthew. "PizzaExpress launches biggest rebrand to date". Marketing Magazine. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- "Pizza Express sold to Chinese firm Hony Capital for £900m". BBC News. 12 July 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- Vanuzzo, Antonio; Linsell, Katie (4 October 2019). "PizzaExpress Hires Advisers Ahead of Debt Talks With Creditors". Bloomberg.
- "A message from our Managing Director, Zoe Bowley". PizzaExpress. May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- Butler, Sarah (19 May 2020). "Pizza Express to reopen 13 London restaurants for delivery". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- Gill, Oliver (16 July 2020). "Pizza Express to close dozens of restaurants". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- "Pizza Express may close 67 outlets and cut 1,100 jobs". BBC News. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- "Hony Capital's PizzaExpress to cut 1,100 jobs as it agrees to restructuring deal". Private Equity News.
- "Allan Leighton to be Pizza Express chairman after restructuring". www.thetimes.co.uk.
- Michael Hoare. "TDR and Capricorn clinch PizzaExpress deal". efinancialnews.com. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
- "Gondola, PizzaExpress Owner, Raises $240 Mln in IPO (Update1)". bloomberg.com. 2 November 2005. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
- "Cinven buys Pizza Express owner in £900m deal". scotsman.com. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
- Armstrong, Ashley (12 July 2014). "China's Hony buys Pizza Express for £900m". Telegraph.co.uk. London. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
- "Hony Capital's PizzaExpress to cut 1,100 jobs as it agrees to restructuring deal". Private Equity News.
- "Allan Leighton to be Pizza Express chairman after restructuring". www.thetimes.co.uk.
- Paskin, Becky (17 March 2009). "Pizza Express launches healthy 'salad' pizza range". BigHospitality. William Reed Business Media. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- "Theo Randall Joins Forces With Pizza Express". Eat Out Magazine. Dewbury Redpoint. 29 September 2008. Archived from the original on 21 September 2010.
- Kühn, Kerstin (19 November 2009). "Catering & Hospitality News". The Caterer. Jacobs Media Group. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
- "TV Cook Valentine Warner Collaborates with PizzaExpress for Limited Edition Dishes". Eat Out Magazine. Dewbury Redpoint. 15 March 2012. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012.
- "Jazz News | Jazzwise Magazine | London". Jazzwise Magazine. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- Coghlan, Adam (16 January 2019). "Pizza Express Confronts Casual Dining Crisis With a Pizza Cutter". Eater London.
- "PizzaExpress to enter food to go sector". bighospitality.co.uk.
- "Meeting of the Minds". Slammed Magazine. July 2004. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- Tilden, Imogen (22 May 2002). "Drip paint work wins drawing prize". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- Etherington, Rose (5 January 2011). "Living Lab by Ab Rogers for Pizza Express". Dezeen. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- "The Veneziana Fund". Pothecary Witham Weld Solicitors. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011.
- "Our portfolio companies and corporate responsibility". Cinven. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011.
- "Pizza Express raises £500,000 for Macmillan in one year". UK Fundraising. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- Hickman, Usborne; Martin, Simon (14 July 2008). "Revealed: how the restaurant chains pocket your tips". The Independent. Retrieved 29 December 2017.