8. Coco di Mama

Founders: Daniel Land and Jeremy Sanders
Founded: April 2011
Website: www.cocodimama.co.uk

Frustrated by a lack of great, quick breakfast and lunchtime options in London, City workers Daniel Land and Jeremy Sanders decided to capitalise upon an opportunity to create the capital’s “first quick service Italian restaurant”; an idea which would see them at the fore of a start-up success story. Launched in April 2011, Coco Di Mama, listed for the second time in the top 10 of the Startups 100, has quickly gained a stellar reputation among London foodies and now serves its delicious Italian delicacies to over 4,000 customers a day from 6:30am to 5:00pm. Having started out with an initial store in the capital’s prestigious Fleet Street, Land and Sanders have seen the company double in size each year with additional sites in Monument, St Pauls, and London Wall and 45 employees now on the books.

With more stores in the pipeline over the next 12 months starting with a new site near Liverpool Street, the Italian mini-chain is keen to retain its popularity with City workers and counts success as having “created a loved brand that customers associate with quality and great service.”