NEWS
EPPS looks forward to November event
FRP completes Carluccio’s sale to Boparan Restaurant Group FRP have announced that they are pleased to have completed the sale of Carluccio’s to Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) in a transaction that will transfer more than 800 jobs. Phil Reynolds and Geoff Rowley from FRP’s Restructuring Advisory team were appointed as joint administrators on 30 March 2020. Following a marketing process, the Carluccio’s brand and 30 sites in the UK have been acquired by BRG which houses well-known brands including Cinnamon, Fishworks, Slim Chickens, Giraffe and Ed’s Easy Diner. Outside of the administration, BRG also acquired Carluccio’s Dawson Street site in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Unfortunately, 40 sites were not part of the transaction and will be closed, which will result in the remaining staff being made redundant, say FRP, and the joint administrators have been working closely with the Redundancy Payments Service to facilitate redundancy payments. Phil Reynolds, joint administrator and partner, said: “The Covid-19 lockdown has put incredible pressure on businesses across the leisure sector, so it has been important to work as quickly and as decisively as possible in an extremely challenging business environment to secure a sale, which ensures the future of the Carluccio’s brand in the UK casual dining scene, retains a significant network of sites across the country and, critically, transfers a considerable number of jobs. We wish the team all the best as part of the Boparan Restaurant Group.” Mark Jones, CEO at Carluccio’s, added: “For what has been a particularly challenging period for everyone at Carluccio’s and much of the rest of our industry, we’re grateful for the support and guidance provided by the team at FRP which has worked hard to secure the future of the business.” Satnam Leihal, managing director of BRG, commented: “We welcome Carluccio’s colleagues to BRG. This acquisition is in line with our strategy to grow our restaurant group with quality brands. Whilst it is an extremely challenging time for the sector, we believe quality hospitality businesses will recover in the long term as people return to eating out.” FRP was advised on the transaction with BRG by Lambert Smith Hampton (property), Hilco Appraisal (chattel assets and IP), Ashurst (legal) and Keystone Law (licences).
The organisers of the European Pizza and Pasta Show (EPPS, www.pizzapastashow.com) have said that they would like to confirm that the fifth edition of the show will take place on 11 and 12 November 2020 at ExCeL, London. The show will host the European Pizza Championship, the PAPA Pizza and Pasta Chef Championships, as well as Cooking Master Classes and the European Pizza Academy. “We represent one of the industries that has endured centuries of success and years of failure. It is an industry where we work together - help each other, stand up for each other. Together we become stronger and we will no doubt overcome the current social and economic devastation,” said Stanislava Blagoeva, MD of the European Pizza and Pasta Show. “The pizzaioli and all our chefs are tough people, they keep our traditions and build on them, creating the future of new and exciting dining culture throughout the world. The European Pizza and Pasta Show is the only event you can meet suppliers, buyers and creators in one place at the same time at the end of 2020.” Jim Winship, director of PAPA, added: “The roots of our industry are as old as mankind, and I’m sure the resilience that has kept our sector going through history will help us emerge from 2020 all the stronger. Taking place in November, the European Pizza and Pasta Show provides a perfect opportunity to get our sector back together. To coincide with the show, we will also be celebrating some of the great work that has been done by the industry through the Coronavirus crisis at the annual Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Industry Awards Dinner at the Royal Lancaster London on 12 November 2020. We look forward to seeing everyone at the show and the dinner to celebrate the end of this extraordinary year!” In association with PAPA and CEVA Logistics, EPPS have launched a free online, business to business Italian food exchange called the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Marketplace (https://marketplace.pizzapastashow.com) which is helping the industry to restore the connections that have been disrupted by recent events, with suppliers and buyers invited to sign up to the online Italian Food Marketplace, and which is free to sign up to and use. Marketplace members can list any products of their choice (photos, descriptions and product catalogues can be uploaded along with all the contact information and web links), with new listings and Marketplace additions promoted in a weekly newsletter which reaches over 12,000 takeaway, catering and food retail businesses across the UK.
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