Restaurant group expands with £350,000 investment in third outlet

Franchisee Sandeep Rana (left) with Piri Fino founder Andreas Elia outside the Walsall venue

A West Midlands restaurant group has expanded its network with a £350,000 investment into a third outlet.

With venues in Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield, Piri Fino Restaurant & Cocktail Bar has now expanded into Walsall.

The company has set up in the former Wharfingers Cottage on the town’s Waterfront, close to the New Art Gallery.

The building has been sympathetically restored in a project that has seen the creation of 25 jobs.

The group specialises in authentic Portuguese Piri-Piri grilled chicken, with the outlets working on a franchise basis.

Walsall franchisee Sandeep Rana said: “It’s essential to have a healthy, more ethical and tasty alternative to fried food outlets and it’s fantastic to be at the helm of Piri Fino’s new flagship development in Walsall.”

The company was founded in 2010 by Andreas Elia, who evolved the business from a boutique-style takeaway and delivery service in Dudley Road, Birmingham to open a licensed, sit-down restaurant in Birmingham Road, Wylde Green in 2014.

The Walsall expansion marks the group’s most ambitious project to date.

Mr Elia said: “Fast casual dining like this is the fastest growing segment of the UK food industry and my aim is to offer consumers across the West Midlands – indeed the UK – a quality, local Piri Fino takeaway and/or restaurant option that marries the convenience and affordability of fast food with the more fresh, healthy and exciting food and drink options of fine restaurants.

“Traditional fast food outlets offer little that is original, authentic or flavoursome and today’s consumers are a lot more discerning, health and weight-conscious eaters. They increasingly don’t have the money, time or patience for traditional full service meals either.

“Plus, as a more customer focused company, we’re a lot more flexible and can adapt to each location and offer a more healthier option. Wharfingers Cottage is a unique setting that has entirely been fitted out in a bespoke manner and there are lots of hand crafted touches and finishes that really make the difference.”

Piri Fino means ‘the freshest Piri-Piri chicken you can get’ and is made using the finest birds eye chillies, cold pressed extra virgin oil, sea salt, fresh lemon juice and garlic, plus an array of herbs and spices.

Always fresh, never frozen and flamed grilled to reduce fat, the chicken, burgers and pittas can be cooked to order in a matter of minutes.

The restaurant offers 65 covers inside with room for 40 customers in the bar area, plus a further 40 covers in the alfresco area.

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