Cigierre Celebrates Thirty Years: The Company Behind Old Wild West, Smashie, and Pizzikotto Continues Development and Presents the New Charter of Values Written by Its Under-30s
The company announces a development plan of over 60 million euros for the next three years, including new openings and the restyling of existing restaurants.
Cigierre is celebrating thirty years in business and preparing for future milestones centered on innovation and the empowerment of its young talents. On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, the company behind established dining brands such as Old Wild West, Smashie, Wiener Haus, and Pizzikotto presents its new Charter of Values. This is the result of a shared project involving all employees through surveys and workshops, with an intense and active contribution from the company’s under-30 collaborators, who were called upon to rewrite the Group’s future identity. Simultaneously, the company has announced a three-year development plan with over 60 million euros in investments for opening new restaurants and restyling locations that have been open for years, confirming a strategy that combines growth, innovation, and a focus on people.
“Thirty years represent an important milestone,” commented Marco Di Giusto, CEO and Founder of Cigierre, “but above all, a starting point for the future. With the new Charter of Values, we wanted to give a voice to our youngest collaborators because we believe they are fundamental to building an increasingly shared and authentic corporate culture. At the same time, with the development plan we have defined, we want to continue investing in the Group’s growth, strengthening our presence across the territory and improving the experience we offer every day. It is a journey that brings together vision, people, and quality. Looking ahead to the coming years, we start from what we have built so far: experiences, skills, and relationships upon which we will continue to grow.”
30 MILLION CUSTOMERS SERVED IN 2024 AND A FORECAST TURNOVER OF 550 MILLION EUROS FOR 2025
The story of Cigierre began in Udine in 1995, from an entrepreneurial intuition by Marco Di Giusto: to create, experiment with, and manage new restaurant formats capable of combining quality, atmosphere, and accessibility. Thirty years later, that idea has transformed into a leading Group in casual dining, with six distinctive brands – Old Wild West, Wiener Haus, Pizzikotto, Smashie, America Graffiti, and Shi’s – and a widespread presence in Italia and abroad.
In 2024, the company reached a total turnover of 545 million euros, with over 360 restaurants between direct management and franchising, 5,000 collaborators, and over 30 million customers served. This path of constant growth continues with even more ambitious goals: for 2025, Cigierre expects to reach a turnover exceeding 550 million euros, further consolidating its leadership in the sector.
A 60 MILLION EURO DEVELOPMENT PLAN OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS
Building on these results, Cigierre looks to the future with a significant development plan that further strengthens its growth trajectory. Over the next three years, the Group will invest over 60 million euros to open new restaurants and restyle existing ones, consolidating its presence in casual and fast-casual dining.
The company will continue to focus on training through the Cigierre Academy, digital innovation, and customer experience. Attention to the product will remain central, thanks to the work of the Research & Development team, the continuous and careful selection of suppliers and raw materials, and the work carried out by the Kuore laboratory, with a constant commitment to standardization and continuous quality improvement.
THE FUTURE OF CIGIERRE WRITTEN BY THE YOUTH WITH THE NEW CHARTER OF VALUES
Alongside investments and development projects, Cigierre has chosen to renew its corporate culture, starting from the values that guide its identity. To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary, the company initiated a process of redefining its founding principles, actively involving under-30 employees. The result is a new Charter of Values, developed through listening, discussion, and co-creation sessions.
Six values emerged, destined to guide the company’s future growth: the strength of the group, arising from collaboration and shared identity; the power of relationships, as the basis for building solid bonds between colleagues, customers, and partners; the valorization of the individual, recognizing the uniqueness and talent of each person; resourcefulness and innovation, to get involved, experiment, and continuously improve; conscious growth, aiming for sustainable development that respects people and territories; and quality, understood as a balance between rigor, attention, and consistency in every process and role, from the kitchen to the dining room.
360-DEGREE ATTENTION TO PEOPLE
The involvement of new generations in defining corporate values is part of a broader commitment that Cigierre has been pursuing for some time: building an inclusive, fair workplace attentive to people’s well-being.
In 2024, the company obtained Gender Equality Certification, promoting training and awareness paths on key issues such as inclusion, violence prevention, and the valorization of diversity. All collaborators received clear instructions on how to recognize an anti-violence gesture and the corporate procedures to follow. Six courses dedicated to gender equality were launched, the Inclusion Manifesto was published, and a Psychological Listening Desk was made available as a free benefit for employees.
Confirming this path, the results of the “In People We Trust 2025” survey—developed by Largo Consumo in collaboration with the Università degli Studi Milano-Bicocca, Ipsos Italia, and Confimprese—show that Cigierre’s approach is generating a concrete impact: employees feel involved and engaged, with an engagement level higher than the national average and the restaurant sector. These data paint the picture of a solid, inclusive work environment oriented toward shared growth.
For further information: Spencer & Lewis for Cigierre.
