Formula One driver Fernando Alonso invests in Sticks’n’Sushi

Formula One driver Fernando Alonso has become an investor in Danish-Japanese restaurant group Sticks’n’Sushi.

The two-time world champion has taken a stake in the business alongside private equity firm McWin Capital Partners, which took a majority share in the business last year.

A spokesperson for the restaurant group said it was a “meaningful investment”, although This Is Money reports the Spanish driver’s share is over 20%.

Sticks’n’Sushi was founded in Copenhagen in 1994 and generated £90m of revenue in the year ending June 2023. It has 14 London restaurants, one in Oxford and a further 15 in Denmark and Germany.

Alonso is understood to be a long-time fan of the chain and previously posted on Instagram that it was his “favourite restaurant”.

The driver has also a longstanding relationship with McWin, which also backs Big Mamma Group and Gail’s. It has opened new Sticks’n’Sushi restaurants in London’s Richmond, Islington and Battersea Power Station since 2024.

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 is aiming to expand Sticks’n’Sushi to new markets and secured a £22m loan from OakNorth bank last year to support its expansion plans.

Harry Goss, chairman of Sticks’n’Sushi and partner at McWin, 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 backs German pizza and pasta group L’Osteria and White Rabbit Projects, which supports restaurant brands including Lina Stores and Kricket.

Image credit: Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team