itsu opens its doors in Leicester’s Fosse Park

This is the fast-growing Asian brand's first-ever restaurant in the Midlands

Launching this month, the new restaurant, operated by franchise partner, Savvi Dining Group Limited, is located at Fosse Park Shopping Centre just off the M1. The new restaurant will provide a significant boost for the local economy and support more than 20 new jobs. 

The new franchise restaurant is operated by Ghanshyam Ramparia who was born and raised in Leicester. With over 27 years of experience, Ghanshyam is the founder of the Savvi Dining Group Limited. He has successfully operated his own business concepts and franchises in the area for several years.

Ghanshyam says: “The itsu brand is growing incredibly rapidly and we felt now is the perfect time to make this investment, as the people of Leicester continue to demand fresher, healthier and more inventive food options. The opening in Leicester is our flagship itsu restaurant in the Midlands and we are delighted to introduce the brand to the region. We now have many more regional openings planned for 2022. itsu’s commitment to continuous innovation combined with a laser focus on customer experience made it an incredibly attractive proposition.” 

Investing in the business, Ghanshyam has ensured that the team is fully trained to itsu’s rigorous standards, so customers receive a seamless brand experience. The itsu chefs who will be based in Leicester first visited London for an intensive eight-week training course run by the brand, followed by a four-week course onsite.

The 2,000 square foot restaurant offers customers the choice of freshly prepared ‘grab and go’ takeaway options, or a more leisurely dine-in experience. The venue will seat up to 78 customers and will operate with extended opening hours, allowing diners to take advantage of itsu’s elegant evening menu. It features order and pay screens, with card only payments, enabling customers to place their orders in under 40 seconds with a huge range of customisable options.

“It’s very exciting to see our doors open in Leicester as our franchise operation continues to gain momentum,” says Julian Metcalfe, founder of itsu. “Savvi Dining Group has an incredible track record in franchising and we’re excited to see what the organisation brings to our brand.

“We are delighted to have signed a franchise partner that shares our passion and vision, for quality food at an affordable price. The organisation also shares our core values with a stated commitment to promoting sustainability, ethical supply chains and the generation of a positive, measurable social and environmental impact.”