Fireaway

Fireaway is a British pizza restaurant chain founded by Mario Aleppo in Rosehill, Sutton, in April 2016. The concept combines the speed and customer customization associated with Subway-style service with pizza cooked in a stone-fired oven. Customers can select and personalize their pizzas, while the business supplies stores through a distribution network and operates primarily through franchised restaurants. The first Fireaway store opened in Sutton in 2016. During 2017, the chain added two further locations and moved its business operations to Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. This relocation became the operational base for the brand as it developed its store network and franchise model. A substantial proportion of the ingredients and other products used by the chain are imported from Italy, reflecting the brand's Italian-style pizza positioning. Fireaway received industry recognition in 2019 when it was named Small Pizza Chain of the Year at the Pizza and Pasta Awards, commonly known as the PAPAs. The chain continued its expansion in 2021, opening its first international location in Amsterdam. That year it also donated more than 1,000 pizzas in Worcester to emergency-service workers, charities, and homeless people. Fireaway received the PAPAs' Rising Star award in 2021. Expansion accelerated in the United Kingdom in 2022, when 48 new restaurants were added. The same year, a 6.5% stake in the company was reported as having been sold for £1.2 million; this is a historical transaction rather than an indication that Fireaway is publicly listed. In 2023, the chain opened 35 additional stores, bringing its reported worldwide total to 150. The brand subsequently entered further overseas markets, with restaurants reported in Dubai, Turkey, and Portugal in 2024, followed by Spain and the Cayman Islands in 2025. Fireaway's business model therefore combines a standardized quick-service restaurant format with local franchise ownership or operation. Its core proposition is fast, customizable, stone-fired pizza, supported by a centralized supply and distribution system. The available public reference material does not establish a complete current ownership structure, detailed financial statements, executive roster, or a definitive list of every operating territory. Store counts and market coverage may also change as the franchise network develops.

Fireaway Pizza began in April 2016 when Mario Aleppo founded the business in Rosehill, Sutton. The first store introduced a quick-service pizza format centered on customer choice: diners could customize their pizzas before they were cooked in a stone-fired oven. The operating idea has been described as drawing on the accessible, customizable service model associated with Subway while applying it to freshly prepared pizza. Two additional locations opened in 2017. In the same year, business operations moved to Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, which became the chain's reported operational base. Fireaway developed as a franchise-led business rather than solely as a company-owned restaurant group. Its model also includes distribution to stores, helping provide a common supply structure for the growing network. The majority of products used by the chain are reported to be imported from Italy. The brand gained industry recognition in 2019, when it won Small Pizza Chain of the Year at the Pizza and Pasta Awards. Fireaway then began international expansion in 2021 with its first overseas store in Amsterdam. Its activities that year included a community-support initiative in Worcester, where more than 1,000 pizzas were donated to emergency-service workers, charities, and homeless people. Fireaway was also named a Rising Star at the 2021 Pizza and Pasta Awards. Growth accelerated in 2022. The UK network added 48 restaurants, and a reported transaction involved the sale of 6.5% of the company for £1.2 million. The available source does not provide enough information to identify the purchaser or describe a broader ownership change. In 2023, 35 more stores opened, taking the reported worldwide total to 150 locations. International development continued in 2024, when Fireaway restaurants were reported in Dubai, Turkey, and Portugal. In 2025, the chain was reported to have opened restaurants in Spain and the Cayman Islands. These developments indicate an effort to extend the franchise format beyond the UK while retaining the central proposition of fast, customizable, stone-fired pizza. Publicly available reference material provides limited detail about the company's legal structure, current leadership beyond its founder, financial performance, store-level economics, and present store count. Accordingly, Fireaway is best characterized from the available evidence as an active British pizza chain using franchising and centralized distribution to support domestic and international growth.

1. 2025Expansion into Spain and the Cayman Islands

   The brand was reported to have opened restaurants in Spain and the Cayman Islands.

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2. 2024Expansion into three additional markets

   Restaurants were reported in Dubai, Turkey, and Portugal.

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3. 2023Reported worldwide network reaches 150 stores

   After opening 35 new stores, Fireaway was reported to have 150 locations worldwide.

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4. 2022UK network expands by 48 restaurants

   The chain added 48 new UK restaurants during the year.

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5. 2021First international store opens

   Fireaway opened its first international restaurant in Amsterdam.

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6. 2019Small Pizza Chain of the Year

   Fireaway won the Small Pizza Chain of the Year award at the Pizza and Pasta Awards.

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7. 2017Operations move to Milton Keynes

   Two more locations opened and the business's operations moved to Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

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8. 2016Fireaway is founded in Sutton

   Mario Aleppo founded Fireaway Pizza in Rosehill, Sutton, and opened the first store.

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A fast-casual, franchise-led pizza chain offering made-to-order customizable pizzas cooked in stone-fired ovens, with a supply network serving restaurants in the United Kingdom and overseas markets.

• Customizable stone-fired pizzasPizza2016

  Fireaway's central product is made-to-order pizza prepared through a customer-customization format and cooked in a stone-fired oven. The concept is designed to combine quick service with individual choice, allowing customers to select the composition of their pizza rather than relying only on fixed menu recipes.

• Italian-sourced pizza ingredientsIngredients and supply

  The chain's supply model includes products imported from Italy. These ingredients support the brand's Italian-style pizza proposition and are distributed through the network serving Fireaway restaurants. The available sources do not identify every ingredient, supplier, or product specification.

• 2021Worcester community pizza donations

  United Kingdom

  Fireaway donated more than 1,000 pizzas in Worcester to emergency-service workers, charities, and homeless people.

  Outcome. The reported result was the distribution of more than 1,000 pizzas to the named community groups.

  Source

• 2022Sale of a minority stakeM&A

  Reference material reports a transaction involving a minority interest in the company during its expansion period.

  What changed. A 6.5% stake was reportedly sold for £1.2 million.

  Aftermath. The available source does not identify the buyer or provide further details about governance or ownership after the transaction.

  Reported sale price for a 6.5% stake. £1,200,000 (2022)

  Source
• 2021Begin international expansionStrategy

  After building its UK restaurant network, Fireaway pursued growth outside the United Kingdom.

  What changed. The chain opened its first international location in Amsterdam.

  Aftermath. The brand later expanded into markets including Dubai, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, and the Cayman Islands.

  Source
• 2017Move operational activities to Milton KeynesStrategy

  After opening two additional locations, Fireaway changed the location of its business operations.

  What changed. The company's operations moved to Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

  Aftermath. Milton Keynes became the reported operational base during the chain's subsequent expansion.

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• 2025Fireaway expands into Spain and the Cayman Islands

  The brand's reported international presence extended to Spain and the Cayman Islands.

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• 2025Fireaway Pizza expands into Spain and the Cayman Islands

  The chain added restaurants in Spain and the Cayman Islands.

  Other
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• 2024Fireaway expands into Dubai, Turkey, and Portugal

  Restaurants were reported to have opened in Dubai, Turkey, and Portugal.

  Other
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• 2024Fireaway Pizza expands into Dubai, Turkey, and Portugal

  The brand opened restaurants in three additional international markets.

  Other
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• 2023Fireaway reaches 150 stores worldwide

  After opening 35 new stores, Fireaway's reported worldwide network reached 150 locations.

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• 2023Fireaway Pizza reaches 150 stores worldwide

  After opening 35 stores during the year, Fireaway Pizza reported a worldwide total of 150 stores.

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• 2022Fireaway adds 48 UK restaurants

  The chain expanded its UK network with 48 new restaurants.

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• 2022A 6.5% stake in Fireaway is sold

  Reference material reports the sale of a 6.5% interest for £1.2 million.

  M&A
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• 2022Fireaway Pizza expands its UK store network

  The chain added 48 new restaurants in the United Kingdom.

  Other
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• 2021Fireaway enters the Netherlands

  The company opened its first international location in Amsterdam.

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• 2021Fireaway donates more than 1,000 pizzas in Worcester

  Fireaway donated more than 1,000 pizzas to emergency-service workers, charities, and homeless people in Worcester.

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• 2021Fireaway wins the Rising Star award

  Fireaway received the Rising Star award at the Pizza and Pasta Awards.

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• 2021Fireaway Pizza opens its first international location

  The chain expanded outside the United Kingdom with its first international store in Amsterdam.

  Other
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• 2021Fireaway Pizza receives Rising Star award

  Fireaway Pizza was recognized with the Rising Star award at the Pizza and Pasta Awards.

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• 2021Fireaway Pizza donates more than 1,000 pizzas in Worcester

  In November, the chain donated more than 1,000 pizzas to emergency service workers, charities, and homeless people in Worcester.

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• 2019Fireaway receives Small Pizza Chain of the Year award

  The chain was recognized in the small pizza chain category at the Pizza and Pasta Awards.

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• 2019Fireaway Pizza wins Small Pizza Chain of the Year

  Fireaway Pizza received the Small Pizza Chain of the Year award at the Pizza and Pasta Awards.

  Other
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• 2016Fireaway Pizza opens its first store in Sutton

  Mario Aleppo founded Fireaway Pizza in Rosehill, Sutton, and opened the first restaurant.

  Other
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1. Fireaway Pizza
2. Fireaway official website