History and Evolution.

PRIMI WORLD PTY (LTD) SINCE 1996 – URBAN ENERGY...

Created through Peter Castle’s business initiative & stalking drive and Francesco Zanasi’s food revolution & passion. Nino Zanasi (Francesco’s Father), opened his first restaurant.
 
Nino Da Genova in Melville (Johannesburg) in 1980. It was a family business with son Francesco working shifts after school. The family operated another two restaurants in Johannesburg before moving to Cape Town and setting up Nino on Greenmarket Square (1992) and Camps Bay (1996).

Both restaurants quickly became local institutions and the family was approached to open a Nino restaurant in Kuwait City (1997). Nino on the Gulf is the second biggest restaurant in Kuwait, and the experience of setting up an international operation greatly bolstered Francesco’s confidence and expertise.

Peter Castle, a quantity surveyor by training stumbled into the food industry after developing a small retail complex during 1990 in Cape Town and opening a Panarottis Italian restaurant and a Hard Rock Café. During the 1990’s Peter continued to develop and open restaurants and with the expansion of the Cape Town Waterfront (1996) opened a Joseph clothing & Joe’s Café store (London Sloane street franchised concept).

Joseph & Joe’s Café Waterfront failed which led to Peter and Francesco pooling their talents to create Primi Piatti Waterfront (June 1999). Primi Piatti Waterfront was a great success from the start. The two Nino’ stores were quickly changed to Primi Piatti’s and a fourth store opened in Constantia (Cape Town), followed by Rosebank (Johannesburg) (2001).

Currently there are 35 Primi Piatti restaurants in most of the major centers around South Africa, as well as one in Botswana and one in Namibia.

True to intent, each restaurant is owner operated and replicates the fervent energetic dining experience with a regional theme and icon.



THE PROFITABLE RECIPE: PASSION & ENERGY COUPLED WITH LOVE FOR PEOPLE & FOOD

• The food is fresh and fast, comforting and healthy, inspired by Italian tradition but influenced by the cosmopolitan present. (Every menu item is cooked from scratch using the freshest and finest ingredients)
• Operators are passionate, empathetic and well trained (a training centre and extensive procedures have been established to enable staff to practice protocol and instill the passionate energetic philosophy)
• Staff motivation is achieved through a ranking system with a performance based structure. (Everyone has the opportunity to grow and develop and are pushed to improve rank, responsibilities and income)

Evolving from Primi Piatti’s successful foundations are two new franchise innovations: Primi Espress and Primi Caffe. Primi Espress is a sophisticated Urban chic Take-Out and Delivery concept offering the quality and service accustomed to Primi Piatti. Primi Caffe is a fashioned European inspired open counter highly interactive self service concept offering a selection of fresh delights to satisfy your trendy urbanites daily meet and eat needs.