Restaurant group, Fulham Shore has acquired London-based pizza company Franco Manca for £27.5m from Rocca Limited.
Fulham Shore, which is run by former PizzaExpress chief executive David Page, plans to more than double the number Franco Manca restaurants in the next two years from 10 to up to 26. The firm also operated The Real Greek group of restaurants.
Franco Manca's pizza is made from slow-rising sourdough (minimum 20 hours) and is baked in a wood burning 'Tufae' brick oven made on site by specialised artisans from Naples. This oven produces a heat of about 500c (930f). The slow levitation and blast-cooking process lock in the flour's natural aroma and moisture giving a soft, easily digestible crust.