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VAPIANO – From around the world

The smell of freshly baked , homemade fresh , crispy – VAPIANO is this and much more. At VAPIANO, the guests enjoy favourite meals that are made according to their individual requests and always come freshly prepared. The VAPIANOs welcome their guests to take time out the Mediterranean way in an urbane and communicative atmosphere – and enjoy a pleasant glass of wine in the evening, too. The lifestyle brand’s success story began in 2002 with the opening of the first VAPIANO in Hamburg. With its innovative “Fresh Casual Dining” concept, VAPIANO founded a new category in the food service industry at the time. Today, there are over 200 VAPIANOs in more than 33 countries on five continents and the company is poised for further expansion.

THE CONCEPT: FRESH CASUAL DINING VAPIANO’s secret to success is the freshness – freshness of ingredients, in the preparation and in the way of thinking. In almost each individual VAPIANO worldwide, ten types of pasta (two of which are from whole grain spelt) as well as pizza dough are produced in-house, sometimes even in the middle of the seating area, in the glass manifattura. In the show kitchen, each individual pasta dish, each pizza and is prepared “à la minute” in front of and for the guests. This interactive front-cooking concept enables guests to be able to directly communicate their preferences and requirements to the cook while he or she makes the meal. This is how personal favourite meals are created that are very easily adapted to alternative forms of nutrition, too. Guests at VAPIANO with a vegan or vegetarian nutritional awareness as well as those with food intolerances consequently have their personal requirements fulfilled, without the need to make any compromises.

The founders’ underlying idea was to develop a restaurant where guests could enjoy absolute freshness along with having every freedom – with people’s individual requests and preferences taken into account. For the guests, therefore, VAPIANO signifies autonomy and individuality, paired with fair prices, and this in a relaxed and cosmopolitan atmosphere. There is no dress code and booking a table is not necessary – it’s like having a meal with good friends. VAPIANO resonates with the flexible and urban lifestyle of its guests, no matter what their age. The guests come by spontaneously for lunch, for a latte macchiato with dolci in between or also for a relaxed evening with antipasti and a drop of good wine in the lounge – whether alone or in a group. The chip card system lends support to the guests’ autonomy. Every visitor receives a chip card upon entry on which his or her food and drinks

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COSMOPOLITAN ATMOSPHERE The guest is then able to enjoy his or her favourite meal in a relaxed, cosmopolitan atmosphere. Warm colours, a comfortable bar and lounge area as well as large oak tables that invite to easy and open communication – these all characterise the urbane feel-good atmosphere at VAPIANO. The furnishing is based on the design and colour concept devised by the Milanese architect and designer Matteo Thun. He further refined his original design idea in 2011 – since then, the new design is used in ever more VAPIANO . The interior makes the Mediterranean lifestyle that VAPIANO exudes even more tangible. The light colour concept provides the restaurants with airy buoyancy and invites guests to linger – whether for afternoon coffee or an enjoyable start to the evening. Highlights of the new design are the new wooden displays with exchangeable panels and the so-called Green Wall, a wall out of real plants and herbs. Added to this is the 100-year old olive tree that no VAPIANO can do without. Vapianistis’ own handwritten recipes hang next to pictures full of atmosphere on the walls in the guest area. A relaxing atmosphere with soft colours, leather optics and modern seating elements awaits the guests in the lounge section, too.

VAPIANO’S HEART & SOUL: THE VAPIANISTI Alongside the guests, the employees working at VAPIANO, the so-called Vapianisti, play another major role. Because restaurant business is “people business”: true blue Vapianisti have excellent communication skills, are open-minded, tolerant and have high standards when it comes to their work. Giving them individual support and the chance of continuous progression is one of VAPIANO’s top priorities.

EXPANSION AND GROWTH The concept of the fresh and quick cuisine has been well received across the world – whether in Europe, in the USA, the Arab countries, South America, or Southeast Asia. VAPIANO counts over 185 VAPIANOs in more than 30 countries, of which over 76 are based in (partly franchise, joint ventures or own companies). At every location, between 50 and 80 new work positions are created, most of them full-time.

VAPIANO AWARDED The fresh Mediterranean cuisine’s successful concept has already received numerous awards:

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2006: VAPIANO SE is awarded with the Hamburger Foodservice Preis (“Hamburg Food Service Award”) 2006: Nomination as a finalist for “Entrepreneur der Jahre 2006/2007” (“Entrepreneur of the Years 2006/2007”) 2007: Awarded with the ECE Retailer Award for the “Most Innovative Concept” 2008: Awarded by former Federal Minister Wolfgang Clement as one of the Top 10 Employers in 2007 (“TOP JOB Arbeitgeber 2007”) 2008: Awarded with the “Hot Concepts Award 2008” (USA) 2011: Awarded with the e-Star Online Excellence Award 2011 2012: Awarded with the “Deutscher Preis für Onlinekommunikation” (“German Prize for Online Communication”) 2014: Awarded with the Casual Dining Design Award in the category “Best Designed Multiple Restaurant” 2015: MAPIC Award, IF Design Award ICE TEA

2016: German Design Award ICE TEA, award for Innovator of the Year 2016 of Brand eins Statista, award for the People App (Best Customer Experience) at the retail technology awards europe 2017: CEE Retail Award 2017 in the category „Cafe/Food Retailer“

Innovator of the Year 2016 of Brand eins Statista Awarded by the retail technology awards europe for the People App in the category “Best Customer Experience“

VAPIANO has also been a member of the Bundesverband der Systemgastronomie (“Federal Association of the Food Service Industry”) since 2007 and a certified member of the Deutsche Franchiseverband (“German Franchise Association”) since 2008.

Reprints free of charge, File copy requested.

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Media contact achtung! Marie Wehmeier Straßenbahnring 3 D-20251 Hamburg Telephone: + 49 40 450210 -873 E-mail: [email protected]

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