Latest news with #Dragons Den
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Dragons' Den judges called my idea ‘a disaster' & ‘delusional' – now it's worth £40m & I'm opening 100 new restaurants
AN ENTREPRENEUR whose restaurant idea was rejected as "a disaster" on Dragons' Den is set to open 100 new outlets of his popular chain. Alessandro Savelli, who co-founded Pasta Evangelists and currently serves as its CEO, says the chain is aiming to become the UK's "fastest-growing, casual dining hot spot". 5 5 5 Now worth around £40 million, Pasta Evangelists was rejected on Dragons' Den by business experts in 2018 when Savelli and co-founder Finn Lagun asked for a £75,000 investment for a 2.5 per cent cut of the company. Dragon Jenny Campbell even called Finn "delusional" and "a disaster" during their pitch. However, the entrepreneurs have no doubt had the last laugh as their business is now set for major expansion. Pasta Evangelists says it will invest £30 million into new restaurants, creating up to 1,500 jobs. It hopes to open 100 new restaurants across the UK in the next five years, including in the south of England, the Midlands, and Scotland. The company is also aiming to develop a "Pasta Apprenticeship" scheme to attract new staff and help the current workforce develop new skills and knowledge, reports The Grocer. Savelli said: "The demand for our fresh, beautifully cooked artisan pasta is growing. "Our intention is to become the UK's fastest-growing, casual dining hot spot and the hottest place to eat for pasta lovers of all ages. "Sustainable growth has always been our plan. "The hospitality industry is going through tough times at the moment, but we are confident that our business model is robust and dynamic, and the proof of this is we have already bucked the trend with the confirmed opening of five more restaurants in the space of three months, and more to come." Pasta Evangelists enter Dragons Den The chain opened a restaurant in Farringdon, central London, this summer as well as its first outside of the capital in Guildford in July. Three new London locations are set to open in the coming weeks, helping carry the total number of outlets to 11 as we head into autumn. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the plans were "great news" and highlighted the "dynamism and resilience of British businesses". The restaurant has had a remarkable success story since its Dragons' Den miss. Recalling their appearance on the BBC show, Finn said he was "shaking life a leaf" before walking out to pitch his business. He added that he was left devastated by the business experts' "vicious" comments. Speaking to The Sun in 2023, he said: "I never would have expected to be called a ' disaster' or 'delusional ' on national TV - they were vicious things to say to a young entrepreneur. 'To use that kind of language against a young, passionate person was dismaying. I would never talk to any young entrepreneur like that." Despite their lack of faith in the business, the Dragons are no doubt feeling red in the face now as Pasta Evangelists is one of the UK's biggest fresh pasta companies. It has also earned the highest praise from many voices, including chef Gordon Ramsay. SCARRED BY EXPERIENCE ON DRAGONS' DEN While Pasta Evangelists has gone on to huge success, Finn says he's still scarred by his experience in the Den. "We received an extremely strong, negative, visceral reaction," he says. 'I was 24 years old when I went on Dragons' Den, so for a seasoned entrepreneur like Jenny Campbell to call me 'delusional' and a 'disaster' was so vicious... Jenny was savage. 'At one point she said, 'I like it' and I replied, 'Thank you', only for her to say, 'I like it because it's a brilliant business lesson in how not to set up and run a business'. 'I was mortified, I felt like an idiot having grinned at her and thanked her. She was deliberately trying to take me for a ride for entertainment.' Finn adds: 'I don't want to sound like the Virgin Mary but if the tables were turned and I was Jenny Campbell, I would have apologised. 'If I saw the business had turned into the UK's biggest pasta company in a few years I'd say, 'Well done, you defied expectations' and maybe even offer a little contrition or an apology.' 5 5
The Sun
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The best high street matcha latte revealed in taste test as Japanese powder takes over the world
IF you've not heard of matcha then where have you been hiding? The Kermit-green coloured Japanese powder made of ground-up green tea leaves is everywhere and I've been trying the best ones on the high street. Fans love it because of its slow-energy release, meaning you apparently stay perky for much longer than compared to coffee's instant hit and slump. It's now so popular that experts have even warned of shortages. Japan's matcha production almost tripled between 2010 and last year to 4,176 tonnes - triggering concerns about its long-term supply. You can make your own healthy green brew at home, as supermarket shelves host a range of matcha powders - including one by matcha maker Perfect Ted, which hit the jackpot on Dragon's Den. But matcha has hit the high street too. Local coffee shops are whizzing up healthy green teas and the big chains including Pret, Starbucks and Caffè Nero have all got involved. But which is the best? We went to find out. Pret's Matcha Latte 4 Pret has definitely jumped on board the wellness drinks trend. This summer it's added new, purple and blue ube brûlée iced lattes and spirulina macaron iced lattes to its menu. But it's the matcha latte which has had a big upgrade this season: Pret now uses a Japanese 'ceremonial grade' matcha, for the purest possible taste. 'How would you like it?' is the Pret barista's question when I put in an order for the new matcha latte. I ask for my green tea to come exactly as Pret recommends it, and the barista says it's best blended with coconut milk, so that's what I try out. At Pret you can pick an iced or hot matcha latte, and on a sunny day I went for iced. It comes with a dash of vanilla as standard, and is a pretty healthy treat at 100 calories. After a few minutes, I was handed a seriously vibrant green drink: very Instagrammable. Packed with ice, Pret's matcha latte was super-refreshing, and very smooth to sip. Although it looked like a green smoothie, the consistency was just like iced tea. Overall, though, the coconut taste definitely dominated the earthy matcha flavour. In fact, drinking it on a sunny day reminded me of sipping from a giant coconut on holiday. The grassy, umami flavour of matcha is more of an aftertaste. If you're after the healthy kick of matcha but love the taste of cool coconut, Pret's is definitely a refreshing brew. Score: 4/5 Starbucks Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte 4 There's a range of matcha options at Starbucks, including Matcha Green Tea Frapuccino and a lavender matcha latte, but I keep it traditional with the giant US coffee house's iced matcha green tea latte. It's now a staple on Starbucks' menu, aiming to capture the essence of the Japanese green tea experience with a mainstream twist. Here, the barista told me Starbucks' Iced Matcha is usually served with semi-skimmed milk, so that's what I opted for. It's just 85 kcal in its smallest ('tall') serving, and simply described as 'pure matcha green tea mixed with milk for a premium cup of zen.' That minimalist description felt accurate: this is a calm, cooling beverage that doesn't try too hard with any dominant flavours. It's an easy to sip, familiar taste: I found this latte had a much creamier feel than Pret's, although it's also bubbly and refreshing. The flavour is more diluted - the matcha isn't as punchy or earthy as in some specialty cafes - and the colour is a more pastel-like pale green. There's a subtle milky aftertaste that lingers, which might not satisfy purists looking for a strong umami hit, but it works well if you're easing into the world of matcha or just want something refreshing to perk you up. It's a reliable go-to for casual matcha fans. Score: 3.5/5 Caffè Nero's Vanilla iced matcha latte £4.75 107 calories 4 High Street stalwart Caffe Nero diverts from the traditional recipe by putting vanilla front and centre in its iced matcha latte. The barista told me it was served with semi-skimmed milk as standard, so that was my order. Although Nero describes its green tea drink as 'pure matcha green tea with milk and a hint of vanilla over ice,' I found the vanilla provided more than a touch of flavour - and it was actually a delicious addition. This iced matcha tasted sweeter than the other High Street options, despite only coming in at 107 calories, so not far off Pret's. The vanilla flavour definitely masked the earthy matcha taste - purists may not be impressed but I found this to be a delicious blend. And my kids - who pulled faces at the other two iced matcha drinks - kept sneaking sips of this one: it was a universal hit. Caffe Nero's drink wasn't a pure grass-green hit - it arrived ombré green, helping it look perfect on social media. But it did mean it needed a stir: the bottom tasted like vanilla milkshake, the top more matcha-dominant. This was an icy, refreshing burst that will become a regular treat when I need a healthy pep-up from a High Street coffee shop: delicious. Score: 5/5 5 things you didn't know about Starbucks The name was inspired by a book Co-founders Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin, and Zev Siegl opened the first Starbucks in Seattle on March 30, 1971. The name was inspired by author Herman Melville's famous novel, Moby-Dick - Starbuck was the name of the first mate on the ship, the Pequod. It has its own coffee farm Purchased in 2013, Hacienda Alsacia is a 240-hectare coffee farm located in Costa Rica. Customers can't visit, but they can take a virtual tour. Different apron colours Did you ever notice some of the Starbucks staff wearing different colour aprons? Green, Black, Red and there's also a few special editions. Before there were Sharpie pens Starbucks is known for writing your name on your drink cup, but before this idea came to fruition, the position of a cup on the bar would tell the barista how to make the beverage. Upside down for decaf! Millions of fans, millions of drinks US Starbucks stores will sell around 5 million drinks daily in 2024, and the top-selling of which is currently Caramel Macchiato.
