PizzaExpress

PizzaExpress

Type	Private
Industry	Restaurant
Founded	1965
Headquarters	Uxbridge, London, UK
Owner(s)	Cinven
Parent	Gondola Group
Website	www.pizzaexpress.com

PizzaExpress is a chain of pizza restaurants based in the United Kingdom. It operates under the name Milano in the Republic of Ireland. It is operated as part of the Gondola Group.

History

The business was founded by Peter Boizot in 1965, when he opened the first restaurant in Wardour Street, London.^[1] The chain expanded, initially as a franchise operation. In 1993 the company was brought to the London Stock Exchange by way of a reverse into a small shell company organised by Luke Johnson, Hugh Osmond and David Page.^[2]

They expanded the company both organically and by buying in the franchisees. By 2003 there were more than 300 restaurants in the UK, as well as outlets in Ireland, where it trades as Milano, and France where the brand name is Pizza Milano. In other countries, such as Spain, the business is branded as Pizza Marzano. In Hong Kong however, it is labeled "Pizza Express" like in the UK.

The company was acquired by private equity group Cinven in 2007 for £900m.^[3]

In 2011 Pizza Express 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.^[4]

• 

  PizzaExpress restaurant in London.

• 

  A former room of the Pitt Club, now used by PizzaExpress at 7a Jesus Lane, Cambridge.

• 

  A PizzaExpress restaurant at Clarence Dock in Leeds.

References

1. ^ Honorary degree awarded to Peter Boizot Loughborough University, 12 September 2000
2. ^ Osmond bids to buy back Pizza Express Independent, 5 November 2002
3. ^ Cinven ties up Gondola deal Alt Assets, 9 October 2006
4. ^ PizzaExpress launches biggest rebrand to date Marketing, 7 September 2011

External links

• Official website
• My Big Decision vodcast: Luke Johnson relives his 1993 takeover of Pizza Express