Update: Pomodoro e Basilico Achieves £150,000 Funding Target During the Final Days on Crowdcube

With its equity crowdfunding campaign now set to close on Crowdcube later this week, vegan artisan food stall Pomodoro e Basilico has successfully secured its initial £150,000 funding target. The campaign, which originally raised its initial goal at the beginning of November, ran into some issues when investors withdrew their investments after advisors Emilia Leese and Kip Dorrell set down from their positions at the restaurant.

Pomodoro e Basilico was founded in 2014 and notably has a vegan artisan food stall and has been featured by celebrity chefs and major news outlets. It now sells in food markets, retail, festivals and online. It also hosts popular support clubs by providing catering. The restaurant stated:

“At the heart of our business is a popular vegan deli-bistro, born with the aim to fill a gap in the market for great, Italian inspired, vegan delis. We have a strong and loyal customer base with some celebrity support and significant media exposure. It’s now time to open our first fixed premises in the heart of London.”

In a recent update, CEO and Founder of Pomodoro e Basilico, Sara Mittersteiner, 

announced that Vanessa Miquilena has joined the restaurant as its new advisor. Miquilena is the co-owner of another successful vegan business that is currently looking to open a vegan bakery in 2018.

“Vanessa could benefit of her knowledge achieved with degrees in BA Business Administration, BA Marketing and Advertising, HND in Business Managment to work into Pomo’s financials and she is happy to answer any further questions you might have about the plan.”

Mittersteiner then added:

“At only 4 days left to the end of the campaign we strongly believe with can push that bar from 81% to our initial 100%, for the same reasons we always focused on; we believe London needs our Deli because there is nothing similar out there and the following and support achieved in the past 4 years can only show we are capable to fill that gap.”

Funds from the Crowdcube campaign will be used to secure a location in central London, including refitting costs, salaries, marketing, equipment, furnishings, insurance, accounting services and 6 months working capital. The campaign will close on Saturday.