Formula One driver Fernando Alonso has invested in the Danish-Japanese restaurant group Sticks’n’Sushi.
The two-time world champion has acquired a stake in the company alongside private equity firm McWin Capital Partners, which secured a majority share in the business last year.
A spokesperson for the restaurant group described it as a 'meaningful investment,' although This Is Money reports that the Spanish driver’s stake is over 20%.
Founded in Copenhagen in 1994, Sticks’n’Sushi generated £90m in revenue for the year ending June 2023. The group operates 14 restaurants in London, one in Oxford, and an additional 15 locations in Denmark and Germany.
Alonso is reportedly a long-time admirer of the chain and has previously shared on Instagram that it is his “favourite restaurant.”
Fernando also has a long-standing relationship with McWin, which backs Big Mamma Group and Gail’s. Since 2024, McWin has helped open new Sticks’n’Sushi locations in Richmond, Islington, and Battersea Power Station in London.
Alonso said: “I am excited to have partnered with McWin to invest in the Sticks’n’Sushi restaurant group with the clear objective of making it the 'brand' of reference in the Japanese food segment in Great Britain and Europe. Together we share the same core values and I look forward to this fantastic journey with McWin.”
McWin plans to expand Sticks’n’Sushi into new markets and secured a £22m loan from OakNorth Bank last year to support these growth initiatives.
Chairman of Sticks’n’Sushi and partner at McWin, Harry Goss, said: “We’ve enjoyed a great partnership with Fernando from the early days of our incorporation. His investment into Sticks’n’Sushi is a tremendous validation of the quality of the business and the clear opportunity it has on the road ahead.
“Fernando Alonso and Sticks’n’Sushi have a shared passion for excellence and we are excited to see what this partnership will bring.”
McWin also supports German pizza and pasta brand L’Osteria, as well as White Rabbit Projects, which backs restaurant brands such as Lina Stores and Kricket.
