The restaurant group behind businesses including ASK Italian, Zizzi, Coco di Mama, and Boojum as well as the US fried chicken brand, says it has maintained revenue at £303.1m for the year ended 30 June 2025 - the same figure as the previous year - despite what it called a ‘challenging trading environment’.
EBITDA, meanwhile, dropped slightly from £32.1m to £30.2m for the same period.
“Last year, we consolidated our strategy to deliver outstanding food, service, and value through a balanced portfolio of high-performing brands, supported by a platform that drives operational excellence and innovation.
“Doing so enabled us to successfully navigate the challenging UK hospitality backdrop and deliver a robust financial performance,” says Steve Holmes, chief executive of Azzurri Group.
During the year, Azurrri invested more than £20m in rolling out Dave’s Hot Chicken and Boojum, the Ireland-based Mexican QSR brand that it bought in June 2023.
Dave’s Hot Chicken’s debut site on London’s Shaftesbury Avenue, which opened last year, became the highest grossing restaurant site opened by Azzurri and its additional openings in Birmingham New Street, Printworks Manchester, Westfield White City and Stevenage are trading ahead of expectations.
The group will open a further nine Dave’s Hot Chicken sites will open in the coming 12 months, including in Cardiff and Dublin, as part of its target to open 180 Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants across Europe.
Growth in grocery
Azzurri also reports continued growth in the grocery channel through its Coco Di Mama and Zizzi Italian brands.
Coco di Mama grew its availability in delivery kitchens and supermarkets during the reporting period and is continuing to do so. In September it extended its reach into retail with a nationwide launch in Tesco.
A Zizzi Model Store opened in Paddington Basin with an enhanced food and drink offer and the group also launched its ASK Perks app. The Zillionaires loyalty scheme for its Zizzi brand has grown to more than 1.25 million members, it reports.
Holmes says the group plans to continue to strengthen its ASK and Zizzi brands, replicate Boojum’s Irish success in Great Britain, and continue to extend Coco di Mama’s reach in supermarkets and in delivery kitchens.
“Most excitingly of all, we have an ambitious pipeline of sites across the UK for Dave’s Hot Chicken and will also start our expansion plans in Continental Europe,” he adds.