itsu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Itsu
TypePrivate Limited
Founded1997
FounderJulian Metcalfe
HeadquartersLondon, England, UK
Number of locations
70[1]
Key people
Clive Schlee
ProductsFood
Websitehttp://www.itsu.com

Itsu is a British chain of East Asian-inspired fast food shops and restaurants, and a grocery company.[2]

The chain was founded by Julian Metcalfe, co-founder of sandwich chain Pret a Manger and founder of Metcalfe's Food Company, in partnership with Clive Schlee.[3] The first Itsu store opened in Chelsea, London in 1997. As of November 2016 Itsu has 70 stores throughout England.[4] In 2018, Itsu had more than 90 stores in England, including 50 in London.

Itsu has reported financial data as follows:

  • The chain serves over nine million customers per year;
  • Customers spend around £55 million in Itsu shops and restaurants;[5]
  • Consecutive yearly sales increases of 30%.[6]

Outlets and expansion[]

Itsu, Commercial Street, Leeds

In April 2013, Itsu announced plans to open 20 more stores in London over the next three years.[6] By September 2013, Itsu opened its first shop outside London, in Oxford.[7]

In January 2016, Itsu expanded into Northern England, choosing Spinningfields in central Manchester as the site for its first Northern store.[8] The chain later opened a branch in Leeds.

US launch[]

In 2017, Julian Metcalfe confirmed his plans to launch its first restaurant in New York in 2018. The restaurant was opened in New York in June 2018.[9]

Itsu Grocery[]

In March 2012, Metcalfe's Food Company, run by Robert Jakobi, launched the Itsu brand into retail[10] under the name Itsu [grocery]. As of September 2013, the brand was worth £12 million.[3] By the next month, Itsu groceries were selling 16 different products, including soups and noodles (including miso soup cups and noodle pots); snacks (including chocolate-covered edamame and rice cakes); sauces (including hoisin and teriyaki variants); and drinks.[11]

The Itsu [grocery] products are sold throughout the UK in places like Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose, and Whole Foods Market. They can also be bought online.[12]

Partnerships[]

In January 2014, Itsu became the Official Partner of the Volleyball England Beach Tour.[13]

Alexander Litvinenko poisoning[]

In October 2006, Russian nationals Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun arrived in London with polonium, a highly radioactive isotope. They had come to poison Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian dissident, employee and Kremlin critic. Upon investigation into Litvinenko's poisoning, polonium was found in an Itsu branch in Piccadilly Circus, close to the Ritz.[14]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ https://www.itsu.com/about-us. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ Moules, Jonathan. "Itsu founder nurtures a new generation", The Financial Times, London, 21 January 2014. Retrieved on 21 January 2014.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Smithers, Rebecca (8 October 2010). "Pret A Manger chief is stacking up healthy profits in lean times". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  4. ^ "itsu". itsu.com. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  5. ^ Ruddick, Graham (21 September 2013). "Sunday Interview: Pret A Manger founder Julian Metcalfe". The Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "Itsu to Open 20 More London Outlets". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  7. ^ "£1m Itsu restaurant to open in Oxford". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 5 September 2014.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ Shelina Begum (10 December 2015). "Itsu picks Spinningfields for Manchester opening". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  9. ^ "itsu New York". itsu us. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  10. ^ Vince Bamford, "Itsu to target retailers with new Asian snacks" The Grocer, June 2011
  11. ^ "itsu". itsu.com. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Itsu grocery-where to buy, "Itsu grocery"
  13. ^ Charlotte Edwardes, "Mr Itsu: Julian Metcalfe on beautiful lean cuisine, why he loves London's hard-working immigrants and his noisy troupe of children and steps, "London Evening Standard", 3 February 2014
  14. ^ Luke Harding, " Alexander Litvinenko and the most radioactive towel in history, "The Guardian", 6 March 2016

External links[]

Retrieved from ""