The funding, which includes a funding from the Capital Fund and a debt package from the Clydesdale Bank, will be used to increase to six the number of cafes the business runs in London.
Jonathan Cooper, Amano’s chief executive officer, said: “We found the Fund's due diligence process especially interesting and their specialists came up with a number of ideas which we're incorporating into our plans.”
The company has recently agreed upon terms for a 2,500 sq ft café alongside Tate Modern and has a number of other sites under negotiation.
Amano's flagship café is located near Borough Market on Clink Street and has been open since April 2004.
Its other outlet is based at the Play Golf complex in Northwich Park, near Harrow.
Amano means ‘by hand’ and the company’s ‘slow fast food’ is all prepared freshly on the premises.
The company’s chief executive Jonathan Cooper was co-founder of the EAT sandwich bar and is non-executive director of Coffee International. Operations director Ed Bentley is also formerly of EAT.
Also, on the company’s board is the serial entrepreneur, Tony Sarin, chairman, and site expert, Jonathan Doughty.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2006
