Pasta Cosa serves up success following NPIF II investment
Liverpool-based Pasta Cosa, a family-run hospitality business specialising in fresh, made-to-order pasta, is celebrating a strong period of growth and expansion across the city centre following investment from NPIF II – River Capital & GC Business Finance Smaller Loans, which is managed by River Capital & GC Business Finance as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).
Founded in 2016 by siblings Kayleigh and Talia Baccino, Pasta Cosa began as a small family-run venture and has now grown into a multi-site hospitality business that delivers high-quality Italian food at affordable prices. Known for its fresh pasta and authentic Italian flavours, the business, which has expanded to a separate Francie’s Focaccia and Coffee restaurant, prides itself on creating a welcoming dining experience that’s accessible for customers across Liverpool.
To support Pasta Cosa’s growth, the duo have secured multiple rounds of investment including from the Small Business Loans Regional Growth Fund. This includes a £45k early funding investment in 2016 and a further £20k in 2019.
As the business has continued to grow, it has secured further funding to support its expansion, and most recently it received a further £70k investment from NPIF II – River Capital & GC Business Finance Smaller Loans to open a new, larger site at Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock, featuring a fresh pasta kitchen, a mezzanine, and a bar area. The investment also helped to expand operational capacity, invest in kitchen and production facilities and refine the menu to enhance the customer experience.
Now on its third location in Liverpool, the Baccino siblings have scaled the business significantly since 2016, having grown the team from just four to 30 employees and quadrupled turnover.
Looking ahead, the business plans to continue building on this success, developing its team, exploring new technologies to improve efficiency and considering further expansion within and beyond Liverpool, bringing its high-quality Italian dining concepts to new audiences.
Kayleigh Baccino, co-founder of Pasta Cosa, said: “From the start, we wanted to create somewhere people in Liverpool could enjoy good Italian food for an affordable price. The support we received through early stage funding and NPIF II at key points in our journey gave us both the working capital and confidence to take on bigger premises, invest in our brand and in our people. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built across our three locations and the number of jobs we’ve created in Liverpool.”
Sue Chambers at River Capital, added:“Pasta Cosa is a great example of how targeted funding can help ambitious businesses in harder-to-reach areas scale sustainably. Kayleigh and Talia had a clear vision for the business and used the funding to unlock their next stage of growth, investing in new locations, taking on more people and delivering even more great quality food. It’s been inspiring to see the business expand to three locations and build a strong presence in Liverpool City Region.”
Sue Barnard, senior investment manager at the British Business Bank, said:“Pasta Cosa’s growth over the last decade demonstrates how targeted funding can support job creation, strengthen the local hospitality sector and help founders realise their long-term ambitions.
“As we move further into the delivery of NPIF II, we’re focused on extending this support to even more ambitious Northern businesses, ensuring the backing they need to take their next steps with confidence.”
The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII) covers the entire North of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
The purpose of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the North of England. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.