Ask Italian and Zizzi restaurant owner, Azzurri Group has posted positive financial results for 2017, and unlike other groups in the challenging casual dining sector, is seeking new sites.
The group saw a 10% rise in turnover to £249.3m for the 53 weeks to 2 July 2017, compared to the 52-week period the year before (running up to 26 June 2016).
For the period, the company saw pre-tax profit increase to 9.4% to £19.3m in 2017, up from £17.6m in 2016.
Azzurri reported that its portfolio grew from 256 restaurants in 2016 to a total of 260 in the year to July 2017. Also, Zizzi and Ask Italian continued to with refurbishments to bring the estate up to date.
Chief financial officer James Pickworth said, “New locations are sought and selected to build a strong pipeline to facilitate future growth plans, which remains key to the company’s future growth.”