Miscellaneous

🍑 Wagamama launches Soul Club loyalty program, allowing users to collect digital hanko stamps with each visit and a minimum spend of £12. The program offers rewards such as free dishes and exclusive experiences, with the chance to win monthly premium merchandise. Members also get access to recipe and foodie videos by senior chefs and brand ambassadors like GK Barry, Alfie Steiner, and Rahel Stephanie. The initiative aims to thank guests and enhance engagement.

🏠 Portland mourns the passing of renowned chef Naomi Pomeroy, who died at 49 in a tubing accident. Pomeroy, a self-taught chef, opened Beast in 2007, influencing Portland's culinary scene. She was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs” in 2009 and received the James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef in the Northwest and Pacific in 2014. She also founded Expatriate in 2013, which closed in 2022. Pomeroy was a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition and recently opened Cornet Custard. Her cookbook, "Taste & Technique," was published in 2016. Oregon congressman Earl Blumenauer noted her contribution of $28.6 billion to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund during the pandemic.

🍺 Mission Mars' Albert’s Schloss brand surged with a 51% revenue growth to £71.1m in the 2023 financial year from £47.1m the previous year, contributing £32.3m from just three sites. Rudy’s Pizza, another brand from the group, generated £29.3m from around 20 sites, both outperforming their market segments by 15%. Adjusted EBITDA for the group rose to £8.7m from £5.2m. Albert’s Schloss, launched in Manchester in 2015, expanded to London, taking over the former Rainforest Café site, with plans for further expansion.

🎶 Oliver Zon, at age 21, organized his first electronic music festival in June 2012 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, which faced challenges due to external factors. Zon learned from this experience not to be blinded by dreams. He later founded the QSR brand Kebhouze, which opened its first store in December 2021 during a challenging post-pandemic period, yet received positive customer feedback from the outset.

🍴 Andrew Edmunds Restaurant, located in an 18th-century townhouse on Lexington Street, will temporarily close for structural works from 12 July and plans to reopen at the end of August. The restaurant, established in 1985 by the late Andrew Edmunds, continues to take advance bookings for private dining, wine tastings, and WSET courses. Edmunds, a significant figure in 'old Soho', died in September 2022 at age 79. Head chef Tom Trubshaw has been leading the kitchen since 2016.

🌿 Silo, a zero-waste restaurant in London, surpassed its crowdfunding goal, raising £11,127 from 88 backers with five days remaining. Chef founder Douglas McMaster plans to create a Fermentation Factory to supply fresh koji for culinary use, fostering a waste-reducing culture among restaurants and individuals. Crowdfunding options include a £25 DIY Miso pledge and a £100 factory tour. The initiative builds on Silo's journey since its 2014 Brighton inception and 2019 London relocation.

🍕 London-based Zia Lucia pizzeria, with nine restaurants and a new site in Reading, partners with GNF Worldwide for global franchise expansion. Founders Gianluca D’Angelo and Claudio Vescovo, since 2016, plan a tenth London location in Chelsea and aim for 5-10 UK sites within three years. They offer unique pizzas with four dough options, including gluten-free and charcoal. Their growth strategy targets 100 stores in five years. Related venture Berto focuses on hand-made pasta in Islington.

🍕 Benugo, a café and restaurant group, reached a record £10.7m operating profit for the year ending December 27, 2023, a significant rise from £3.7m the previous year. Boasting over 40 locations nationwide, including prestigious venues like the Victoria & Albert Museum and London Zoo, Benugo has focused on exiting underperforming sites and boosting client relationships in 2023. Their success is attributed to staff training investments and strategic business wins, positioning them for continued growth in 2024.

💰 Benugo, a café and restaurant group, reported a 2023 operating profit of £10.7m, a significant increase from £3.7m in 2022. With over 40 locations nationwide, including prestigious venues like the Victoria & Albert Museum and London Zoo, the company's strategic exits from poor performing locations and focus on training and productivity have led to a stronger financial performance. Benugo is poised to tackle 2024's opportunities and risks with a solid balance sheet and cash position.

🍕 Dez Amore, Italian street food brand, launches its first London restaurant, occupying 1,178sq ft on the Sloane Stanley Estate. Founders Leonardo Masi and Simone Parentini offer traditional Italian dishes with a contemporary twist, including pasta, pizza, antipasti, and gourmet burgers. Announced last year, this flagship store marks the brand's expansion beyond food halls, following successes in Camden, Mercato Mayfair, and Boxpark. Miles Commercial and Levy Real Estate represented the estate, while Chiara Ciroldi acted for Dez Amore.