Foresight Group, the Mowgli and 200 Degrees-backer, has invested £2.5m in Newcastle-based The Naked Deli.
The deal see former Leon managing director, John Upton, join the currently two-strong healthy eating brand as chairman.
He told MCA that the group was already building its pipeline, with a goal of opening at least 20 new sites over the next three to four years. He said the initial focus was the north of England and Scotland, but said the group would look as far south as Nottingham in the short-term.
The brand was launched in 2014 in Heaton, in the east end of Newcastle. It describes its offer as a health-conscious and clean-eating dining experience. The menu includes a selection of wraps, burgers, omelettes and rice bowls.
John Cordrey, investment manager of the Foresight Group said: “The Naked Deli represents an opportunity to back a strong brand with a high-quality offering, operating in the growing, healthy eating sector. Foresight will be supporting the rollout of additional sites across the UK. We look forward to working with the management team and pursuing the opportunities that exist for the Company.”
Chris Jones, chief executive of The Naked Deli, said: “We are excited to be working closely with Foresight who have been extremely supportive of our vision to bring healthy and nutritious food to the wider market. We have had an amazing journey so far in growing our brand organically throughout the North East and look forward to our next stage of growth, in scaling The Naked Deli throughout the UK.”
