San Carlo hungry for second Manchester restaurant

ITALIAN restaurant chain San Carlo is planning to launch a second restaurant in Manchester later this year.

Speaking to TheBusinessDesk.com, founder and chief executive Carlo Di Stefano, confirmed another branch will open in the city at an undisclosed location.

Mr Di Stefano, 66, also said the existing San Carlo in the city, off Deansgate, was trading well, taking an average of £160,000 a week.

The £22m turnover business, launched by Mr Di Stefano in 1992, is preparing for the launch of its sixth UK restaurant with the opening of a new venue in Leeds in August.

Mr Di Stefano said the company’s expansion had been in close partnership with its bankers.

He said: “The banks believe in me and my policy, so now we’re opening in Leeds and we want to open another restaurant in Manchester. I cannot tell you where, but it’s a super site.”

It is also rolling out a chain of ‘Signor Sassi’ branded restaurants in 22 countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa, after reaching an agreement with franchise operators Americana Group last year. Two have already opened in Kuwait and other branches are planned for Dubai and Cairo during 2010-11.

Mr Di Stefano puts his success down to an obsession for fine food and an avoidance of the ‘chain’ mentality which he says leads to blandness amongst the larger restauarant groups. “Each of my places has a chef or team of chefs who add their own special touches to the menu,” he said.

A family business, San Carlo’s launch in Leeds is being overseen by Mr Di Stefano’s son Marcello, while his other son Allessandro is running the groups restaurant in Liverpool. Mr Di Stefano senior runs the growing empire from above the original restaurant in Birmingham’s Temple Street.

San Carlo also has restaurants in Bristol, Leicester and London. A restaurant in  Liverpool was opened six months ago.

The privately-owned business employs 400 staff across the UK and has said its expansion programme is likely to continue with the search for suitable sites in Scotland, Wales and Ireland.