As the founder of the two iconic food retailers, Pret A Manger and itsu, that are together worth over $3 billion, Julian Metcalfe could be forgiven for slowing down. But the British entrepreneur remains more driven than ever.
Since Pret was sold in 2018 for approximately $2 billion, Julian has been on a mission to revolutionise fast food by making it healthier, proving that quick meals can be nutritious, delicious and affordable with his Asian-inspired itsu chain.
He tells Jewish News: “The opportunity to try and sell healthier food which is convenient and fast has become critical.
“Fast food hasn’t really advanced in decades – not because consumers don’t want healthy options, but because it’s expensive to make and retailers have struggled to compete at the same price point as cheaper, mass-produced meals.”
Julian is committed to cracking this challenge and the global fast-food market with itsu, not compromising on health or quality. “I am so driven to solve this and make headway in affordable food. It’s relevant, fascinating and captivating and I love it. I’m more engaged in it than ever before.”
They secret ingredient, he says, is finding “that harmony” between the staff, customers and the product.
Julian’s story has the makings of a movie or inspirational book. He learnt about tenacity and the need to drive forward from a young age.
His mother committed suicide on Boxing Day when he was seven years old – his parents were divorced and he lived with his sister and mother at the time.
“That was a difficult thing. That created a loneliness.”
Julian moved to live with his father in London, David, the son of Edward Metcalfe and best man to the abdicated Edward VIII at his marriage to Wallis Simpson. David went to Eton and served in the Irish Guards before entering the insurance world.
“We had powerful people to dinner all the time,” Julian has told other publications.
After school at Harrow, Julian went on to study property at the Polytechnic of Central London — where he met Sinclair Beecham, his business partner-to-be and after a brief stint working in commercial property, in 1986, the two teamed up to buy failed restaurant, Pret A Manger.
They relaunched it as a superior sandwich bar selling fresh food made by trained staff in an in-store kitchen. The business reportedly lost £80,000 in the first year, but the duo persevered. When Pret was sold in 2018 to JAB Holdings there were approximately 530 Pret locations worldwide. The company was valued at around $2 billion (£1.5 billion) at the time.
The key, he says, is never to give up.
Julian is married to Brooke, a New Yorker, and together they have a blended family of children. His story took an unexpected turn 15 years ago, when he discovered he had a 19 year-old daughter, Celeste, from a previous brief relationship with society figure Camilla Ravenshear.
Speaking to Steven Bartlett on the entrepreneur’s Diary of CEO podcast, Julian revealed that Camilla had broken the news to her daughter, then a Bristol University student, just two weeks before meeting him on London’s King’s Road. The tycoon was already a father to two children, Billy and Misha, by his ex-wife Melanie.
Julian said: “I have a brilliant, beautiful and thoughtful 19-year-old daughter. I reckon I’m the luckiest man ever.”
They now work together in the business daily – Celeste sits on the board of the company – two of Metcalfe’s other children are also involved in the company, helping with his mission of expanding the brand across the globe to promote healthy, accessible food options.
“Working with my children has been wonderful. We’ve really bonded over it.”
Founded by Julian in 1997, there are now 86 itsu restaurants across the UK, Belgium, and France, and a growing supermarket business across Europe and beyond. Later this month, itsu is opening its second restaurant in Manchester, located in the city’s Trafford Centre.
The London-based businessman is particularly fascinated by the food scene in Tel Aviv, which has “captured the imagination and flavours of the past 50 years in an astounding way. The creativity of the cuisine there is remarkable.
“Levantine food in general is quite challenging to produce quickly and well—much of it doesn’t lend itself easily to fast food, with shwarma being the closest example.”
He adds: “Food plays a huge role in the Jewish community; they genuinely care about it.”
Asked for advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, Julian emphasises two key qualities: adaptability and a clear vision. “Accept the fact that things will not turn out the way you want them to,” he advises. “You need tenacity and have to ask yourself what your vision is—what are you adding to the consumer’s life? Be brutally honest. The success of any business rests on the value of the product.”
As Julian sees it, it’s not about the marketing or the drive alone—especially in the food industry. “Consumers know the difference between good and bad,” he says, and ultimately, that’s what makes or breaks a brand.
Julian remains committed to providing people with access to nutritious, affordable food for under ten pounds. “This is the toughest arena in the world,” he says, “but it’s also the one with the greatest opportunities.”
