The Sienna Group

Carluccio’s is a unique restaurant concept that combines an authentic, affordable Italian café with a deli / specialty food shop focused on quality Italian products. Antonio and Priscilla Carluccio opened the first Carluccio’s deli / food shop in London in 1991 next door to their Neal Street Restaurant - a landmark for Antonio’s regional Italian cuisine. Thereafter, they conceived the idea of a combined café / food shop and in 1999 the first Carluccio’s opened in Market Place in London’s West End. Today, there are almost 30 Carluccio’s across London and the Southeast of England, with five new stores opening every year.

“For lovers of Italian culinary culture, Carluccio’s is a London institution.”

The Times

The café / food shop concept has been very successful to date and benefits from all-day trading activity - customers use it to meet for a cooked breakfast and coffee in the morning; pick up a Panini to-go or sit down for a quick pasta for lunch; have cheese and wine in the afternoon; or enjoy a plate of authentic lasagna and tiramisu for dinner. The quality of the Company’s retail offering was recognized when Carluccio’s was recently included in the Top 10 Worlds Finest Specialist Food Retailers as determined by The Grocer’s magazine.

“These places are fearsomely good. The savvy cocktail of fine food, quick snacks and coffee with all-day convenience, friendly service, a lively atmosphere and reasonable prices is mouth-watering.”
Time Out Magazine

The Company is highly profitable, has no debt and is funding its growth through internally generated cash flow. Carluccio’s went public on the AIM exchange in London in December 2005 to help provide liquidity for certain shareholders – one year following the IPO its stock price was up approximately 75%. The Company’s success as a public company was recognized when it was voted ‘Best Newcomer’ for 2006 at the annual AIM awards.

“Antonio and Priscilla’s burgeoning caffe and deli empire does a major public service, bringing great Italian produce and reliable casalinga cooking to the masses at masses-friendly prices.”
Independent on Sunday Newspaper

Following their success building Seattle Coffee Company in the UK, Scott and Ally Svenson were approached by the Carluccio’s and management to help design, fund and launch the Carluccio’s concept. The Svenson’s underwrote the initial funding for Carluccio’s in 1999 and have played an active role since that time assisting with the ongoing growth and development of the business. Scott continues to be active on the Board today, and through The Sienna Group, remains one of the largest shareholders in Carluccio’s.