Dragons’ Den Star Alessandro Savelli Hits £40 Million with Pasta Brand

Alessandro Savelli, known from the television show *Dragons’ Den*, has achieved remarkable success despite initially leaving the program without any funding. His company, Pasta Evangelists, is now valued at an impressive £40 million and is set to expand significantly across the United Kingdom.

Savelli co-founded Pasta Evangelists, a fresh pasta brand that originally began by offering letterbox-posted food kits. Following his appearance on *Dragons’ Den* in 2018, his business has grown rapidly, with plans to open 100 new restaurants in various locations including the Midlands, Scotland, and the south of England. In a recent interview with *The Grocer*, Savelli revealed that the company is investing £30 million into this expansion.

“The demand for our fresh, beautifully cooked artisan pasta is growing,” Savelli stated. “Our intention is to become the UK’s fastest-growing casual dining hotspot and the hottest place to eat for pasta lovers of all ages.”

Despite the ongoing challenges in the hospitality industry, Savelli expressed confidence in Pasta Evangelists’ robust business model. He noted that the brand has already defied trends with the confirmed opening of five new restaurants within a span of three months.

Savelli and his business partner, Finn Lagun, sought a £75,000 investment for a 2.5 percent stake during their pitch on *Dragons’ Den*. Their proposal was notably rejected, with judge Jenny Campbell describing Finn as “delusional” and “a disaster.”

This isn’t the first instance of entrepreneurs facing hurdles on the show. Anshu Ahuja, founder of the sustainable takeaway service DabbaDrop, also left the den without an investment, despite her business being valued at over £3 million just a few years after its inception. Ahuja had sought £100,000 for a 3 percent stake in 2018.

“We had done quite a lot of work going into Dragons’ Den and our own fundraising round,” Ahuja explained. “The £4 million valuation was independently assessed, based on our £850,000 revenue and a lifetime value of our 1,500 subscribers at that point of nearly £400 per subscriber.”

Ahuja noted the pressure of appearing on national television to pitch her business but felt it was worth the risk. At the time, DabbaDrop had already attracted interest from over 2,000 investors and had amassed a waiting list of 4,000 people for its services.

Alessandro Savelli’s journey from a rejected pitch on *Dragons’ Den* to becoming the CEO of a rapidly expanding pasta brand exemplifies the unpredictable nature of entrepreneurship. With ambitious plans for growth, both Savelli and Ahuja continue to navigate the challenges of the competitive food industry, demonstrating resilience and innovation in their respective ventures.