 | |
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| Company type | Private company limited by shares |
| Industry | Casual dining |
| Founded | 1965; 60 years ago (1965) |
| Founder | Peter Boizot |
| Headquarters | Uxbridge, England |
Key people |
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| Products | Italian cuisine |
| Owner | A group of bondholders |
| Website | pizzaexpress |
PizzaExpress (Restaurants) Limited,[1]trading asPizzaExpress (also calledPizza Marzano orMilano), is a British multinational pizzarestaurant chain. It has over 500 restaurants across the United Kingdom and 100 overseas in Europe, Hong Kong, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.[2] PizzaExpress was founded in London in 1965 byPeter Boizot.[3] In July 2020, it was taken over by its bondholders under a debt-for-equity swap with the previous owner, Hony Capital.[4] In November, Hony Capital left the business and the group restructure was completed, helping to cut the chain's debt by more than £400 million.[5]
Peter Boizot opened the first PizzaExpress restaurant inWardour Street, London, in 1965. Inspired by a trip to Italy, Boizot brought back to London a pizza oven fromNaples and a chef fromSicily. In 1969, jazz performances began at itsDean Street restaurant, London.[6]
PizzaExpress expanded intoIreland in 1995 and currently operates 14 restaurants there under the brand name Milano.[7] Additionally, the company owns the brand name Marzano. Originally, Marzano or Pizza Marzano was used in countries where the brand name PizzaExpress was not available, as with the use of the name Milano inIreland, 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 PizzaExpress inThe 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 firmHony Capital in a deal worth £900 million.[11] In 2017, PizzaExpress launched 'PizzaExpress Live'.[citation needed]
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 tonationwide lockdown rules introduced by the government to limit the spread ofCOVID-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 was 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.[4] It was confirmed in September that 73 of its restaurants would close permanently, including the chain's first-ever branch in Wardour Street.[17] In October 2020, PizzaExpress filed forChapter 15 bankruptcy in the United States.[18] In November 2020, the group completed restructuring and its debt was reduced by more than £400 million.[19] A further 23 branches were earmarked for closure in January 2021.[20]
Privately owned since its foundation in 1965 for 28 years, PizzaExpress was acquired from Peter Boizot and Ronald Simson byLuke Johnson, David Page andHugh Osmond in 1993, with Johnson and Osmond becoming non-executive directors. The company was floated on the London Stock Exchange at the same time in 1993. The two major individual shareholders were Peter Boizot and David Page. Wholly owned restaurants then opened rapidly across the UK. The company-owned restaurants grew from 23 in number at flotation to over 300 in 2003. Boizot remained as chairman for the first three years of the public company. The 32 UK franchisees were then bought back en masse in 1996.
TDR Capital and Capricorn Associates then bought the company in 2003, turning it private again.[21] In 2005, PizzaExpress re-floated on the London Stock Exchange, as part of Gondola Holdings.[22] It was then bought byprivate equity groupCinven as theGondola Group in 2007.[23] On 12 July 2014 it was announced that Chinese groupHony Capital had bought PizzaExpress for £900 million.[24]
In July 2020, the business was taken over by its bondholders under a debt-for-equity swap with previous owner Hony Capital.[4] In November 2020, Hony Capital left the business and the group restructure completed, helping to cut the casual dining chain's debt by more than £400 million.[19]
Since its foundation, PizzaExpress has specialised primarily in handmadepizza 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 chefTheo Randall, of Theo Randall atInterContinental 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 ofCalabria.[27]
The celebrity chef series continued in 2012 with the introduction of two pizzas made by television cookValentine Warner. Warner introduced the fennel and salami pizza and theputtanesca pizza.[28]
PizzaExpress has supported thejazz community from its early days when it opened its firstjazz club in 1969 inDean Street, London. Since then, artists performing there have includedElla Fitzgerald andAmy Winehouse, to supporting early performances byNorah Jones andJamie Cullum.[29]
Za was a brand of PizzaExpress offering a more casual version of thepizzeria 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 on 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 has committed to bringing Za back in a different location as of 2022.
Za no longer operates as a brand as of 2023.[32]
Peter Boizot commissioned Italian restaurant designer andcartoonistEnzo Apicella in the 1960s to design the PizzaExpress identity and over 80 restaurants.[33]
In 2002, PizzaExpress launched PizzaExpress Prospects Contemporary Art Prize withpop artistPeter Blake.[34] Peter Blake's connection with PizzaExpress was extended when he donated 26 original pieces to theChiswick restaurant where he had been a regular customer since 1981.
PizzaExpress created a 'Living Lab' in October 2010, inRichmond, trialling new ideas from design to sound, collaborating with designer Ab Rogers.[35]
PizzaExpress introduced the Pizza Veneziana in 1977 to help saveVenice from sinking by donating 5p of every pizza sold to theVenice in Peril Fund. Over the years the amount donated from each pizza has increased to 25p.[3] 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.[36]
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.[37]
In 2016, PizzaExpress launched its partnership withMacmillan Cancer Support, with a discretionary 25p donation from every Padana pizza sold going 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.[38]
In 2008, the company was reported as taking an 8% cut of tips paid via credit card.[39]
In 2022, PizzaExpress committed to source 100% cage-free eggs and egg ingredients by 2025, responding to pressure from animal welfare groups.[40]
