Japes, the Soho-based deep dish pizza concept founded by Aleksandar and Jovana Aleksic reports strong sales performance ahead of their regional roll out, which will hinge on the franchise model in partnership with food franchising specialist Seeds Consulting.
Turnover at the Soho location is so far up 25% vs. 2022, while the newly opened Greenwich site is also already very profitable and growing by an average 8% month-on-month, which reflects the increasing popularity of this type of pizza.
Aleksandar Aleksic said "Strong start in Greenwich has opened our eyes about the potential that our brand has in London and further afield. Our newly introduced London-style pizza was very well received by our loyal customers, thus further increasing their number of visits and positively impacting our brand reputation and turnover. As a result, we looked at the franchise model and found our brand really suited to it, as we have a high margin products, our operation is totally de-skilled and our restaurants are relatively cheap to build. Both our Chicago and London style pizzas are made using fresh quality ingredients and our unique recipes. In the back setup, our operations and layout are closer to well established brands such as Domino’s. It also suits our vocation to support others to achieve success with our great brand.
We have not yet started to market the franchise and we already have a qualified partner on board who will open our first franchise site in South-West London this autumn. We are not lacking expressions of interest but our philosophy is about being selective with both franchise partners and properties."
Seeds Consulting has been retained by Japes to build the Japes franchise model and spearhead business development, with an initial focus on the UK.
Seeds Consulting, MD Matteo Frigeri said: “It is exciting to represent such a compelling opportunity in the established food franchise pizza market. Japes’ pizza is really addictive, customers just love it, because it is different and delicious. I can see all franchise groups that do not have pizza in their portfolio want this as the numbers stack up, landlords are keen, franchisor support is there and the potential market is immense.
About SEEDS CONSULTING
London-based Seeds Consulting is a leading franchise consultancy specialising in national and international business development for food concepts. Founded in 2010 by Matteo Frigeri and David Liveing, the company is the developing force behind international restaurant groups and small to mid-sized companies with strong upcoming brands and an appetite for growth in EMEA.
About JAPES
Japes is all about Deep Dish Pizza. Our mission is to sell the UK’s favourite pizza. We are using only the finest fresh ingredients prepared every day. Japes is aspiring to lead the market on Deep Dish Pizza, inspired by the US prominent Chicago style.
As GQ says, they are like ‘oozing tarts full of thick red sauce and glorious toppings… that will leave you unable to romance any dinner guest, but, boy, is it worth it’.
The UK is in love with pizza. It’s undeniable and showcased on highstreets, shopping centres, online and at transport hubs the country over. The thin crust, Neapolitan style pizza market is saturated with all large brands occupying the same space, relying on offers, discounts and loyalty to drive footfall where deep pan resides in the lower end chains like Pizza Hut, a market that has shrunk in the face of under investment and poor-quality ingredients.
Japes uniquely combines freshness of Neapolitan style with richness of deep pan pizza, providing a new and authentic experience to pizza lovers.
We are open every day at 22-25 Dean Street in Soho and 15 Nelson Road in Greenwich, which were established in 2018 and 2022 respectively.