Dining out with a difference

Neapolitan pizza restaurant Sanco has secured a five-figure investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.

- TOM KEIGHLEY Business writer [e-mail]

Paolo Franchi, founder of Sanco and Jonathan Armitage, investment executive at NEL Fund Managers

The Forth Banks eatery, which is offering a “pizza roulette” concept, has secured funding from NPIF II - NEL Smaller Loans, which is managed by NEL Fund Managers.

Founder Paolo Franchi is behind the idea to serve handmade pizzas baked in traditional, wood-fired oven with guests offered a constant train of surprise pizza slices to their table. Diners switch on a table light to indicate they want to try slices and switch it off when they're done.

The concept - which brings customers unexpected flavours - is designed to reduce food waste and create a memorable experience for customers. Sanco’s pizza makers, or pizzaiolos as they are known, intend to serve up well-known favourites as well as some “wildcards”.