British chain’s plan to flog pizza to the Italians

Franco Manca was founded by university lecturer Giuseppe Mascoli in 2008 in Brixton market

The company now has 33 restaurants and is worth £105.3m

It makes sourdough pizzas using a starter mix originally bought in Naples

Capers, furniture, tiles and wine are all imported from Italian islands

Each restaurant serves around 2,100 customers a week

In total, the chain sells 3.6m pizzas a year

A BOOMING British pizza chain is taking on the food’s most discerning gourmets by opening a restaurant in Italy. Franco Manca founder Giuseppe Mascoli fell in love with the island of Salina when he was there to source capers.

The 58-year-old later bought properties there, along with a vineyard which supplies the company with wine, and spends four months a year on its Mediterranean shores.

Now he is opening a pizzeria on the seafront to strengthen links with the island. It will be run as a franchise and launched with £100,000 from Franco Manca plus backing from local and international investors.

The business was launched nine years ago in Brixton, south London, and parent group The Fulham Shore floated on the stock market in 2013.

As well as the pizzerias, the group also owns The Real Greek chain of restaurants. Shares were up 2.7pc, or 0.5p, to 19p.