Julian Metcalfe

Julian Edward Metcalfe OBE (born 14 December 1959) is a British entrepreneur and founder of food retailers Pret a Manger, Itsu, and Metcalfe's Food Company.[1][2]

Julian Edward Metcalfe

OBE
Born (1959-12-14) December 14, 1959
NationalityBritish
OccupationFounder and CEO itsu
Known forFounder of Pret a Manger
Founder itsu
Founder Metcalfe's Food Company
Net worth £215 million (May, 2019)
Spouse(s)
Melanie Willson Faggionato
​
​
(m. 1992; div. 2005)​

Brooke Douglass de Ocampo
​
​
(m. 2008)​
Children3

According to the Sunday Times Rich List in 2019, Metcalfe is worth £215 million, an increase of £51 million from 2018.[3]

Early life

Metcalfe is the grandson of Edward Dudley Metcalfe, MVO, MC, an officer in the British Indian Army and a close friend and equerry of Edward VIII.[4] One of his great-grandfathers was George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, a Governor-General of India, and a great-grandmother was the American heiress Mary Curzon, Baroness Curzon of Kedleston.

Metcalfe was educated at Harrow School in north-west London. He later attended the Polytechnic of Central London, where he first met his later business partner, Sinclair Beecham. [5]

Career

Metcalfe founded Pret a Manger, the popular sandwich shop with college friend Sinclair Beecham in 1986. In May 2018, Pret was bought for £1.5 billion, and Metcalfe's stake was valued at £75 million.[3]

Metcalfe founded itsu in 1997. He currently owns 54% of the company.[3]

Metcalfe founded Metcalfe's Food Company in 2008. It sells Asian inspired food under the brand name itsu and a range of snack food under the brand name Metcalfe’s skinny.

Metcalfe's skinny snack food Metcalfe's Skinny Topcorn is a popular brand of popcorn in the United Kingdom.[6]

In September 2016, Metcalfe sold his interests in Metcalfes Skinny in full to Kettle Foods owner Snyder's-Lance.[7]

Already a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 Birthday Honours for services to the hospitality industry.[8]

References
  1. Pender, Lesley; Sharpley, Richard (2005). The Management of Tourism. SAGE. p. 99. ISBN 0-7619-4022-7.
  2. Ruddick, Graham (21 September 2013). "Sunday Interview: Pret A Manger founder Julian Metcalfe". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  3. Times, The Sunday (2019-05-12). "Rich List 2019: profiles 553-599=, featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2019-07-08.
  4. Ziegler Philip (2004) "Metcalfe, Edward Dudley", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 24 March 2007 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  5. "Pret A Manger Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham".
  6. "Metcalfes Popcorn tops Tyrrels in Trial The Grocer magazine". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  7. "Kettle Foods acquires 74% of Metcalfe's to take full control". FoodBev Media. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  8. "No. 60895". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 2014. p. b14.
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