Ten years on from its launch, I Love Poke continues its expansion plans

Almost ten years after the opening of Italia’s first poke restaurant, I Love Poke is opening a flagship store in Milan – not just another outlet in the chain, but the moment the group has chosen to unveil a more mature identity. “This concept was born in 2017 and, nine years on, we have a different spirit – more mature, more cheerful, more focused on the ingredients,” explains Rana Edwards, co-founder and co-CEO alongside Michael Nazir Lewis. “The slogan ‘love yourself, eat healthy’ has stayed with us since day one and has become our overarching philosophy.” The space, spread over two levels with a large outdoor seating area in the heart of Milan, has been designed to convey this evolution through the choice of materials, lighting and the display of ingredients.

With 150 stores in operation - 102 company-owned and 48 franchised - I Love Poke ranks, in terms of size and reach, among the leading Italian restaurant chains, following names such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Piadineria and Old Wild West, according to Edwards. The plan for 2026 includes a further ten openings by the end of the year, including those already scheduled in Puglia, Sardinia and Calabria, plus two in Milan. Internationally, the group has already opened in Lisbon and has two outlets operating in Lebanon, with a second opening in Portugal expected shortly. “We are exploring master franchise opportunities with well-established players,” says Edwards, who also mentions a country in Asia among the markets under consideration, without providing further details.

The three-year business plan estimates an organic growth rate of 15–20 new store openings per year. The brand aims to maintain its direct share at around 70% of the total, combining organic expansion with an M&A strategy: over the last three years, the group has already acquired and converted two rival chains, Pokè Kal and Poke Scuse. “As the business evolves, there will also be periods of M&A that will accelerate growth compared to the organic plan,” says Edwards. Five conversions from other formats are already planned for 2026, following the four completed in 2025.

Italia remains the main focus of development, with a particular emphasis on medium-sized towns. “For us, a shop with €400,000 in turnover already has a minimum margin of 20%,” says Edwards. “Once we exceed a certain threshold, we reach 30–35%.” Overseas, the strategy aims to create synergies with chains already present in European markets or to expand through established local players.

The year 2025 closed with a turnover of €67 million, an average store EBITDA of 23%, a cost of goods sold optimised at 29% and labour costs stabilised at 24%, according to figures provided by the group. Like-for-like growth stood at 6% – a figure the brand ranks among the highest in the Italian food retail sector for that year – and average turnover per store was €450,000. The share of the delivery channel stood at 24%, stable compared to previous periods.