Leon Food Chain Founder John Vincent Reacquires Brand with Strategic Turnaround Plan
John Vincent, co-founder of the Leon food chain, reacquired the company from Asda in October 2025 in a debt-free, self-funded deal reported to be valued between £30 million and £50 million. Founded in 2004 alongside Henry Dimbleby and Allegra McEvedy, Leon originally set out to deliver seasonal, high-quality fast food.
Faced with financial challenges due to rapid expansion resulting in continuous pre-tax losses since 2016, and pressured by factors such as Covid, Brexit, and rising costs, Leon's sales fluctuated from £76.3 million in 2019 to £38 million in 2020, then rose to £52.2 million in 2022. Vincent has attributed these difficulties to internal sustainability issues rather than Asda's ownership.
Vincent's turnaround strategy is focused on prioritizing profitability by closing unprofitable outlets and renegotiating leases. This plan involves reducing the total number of stores from 68 to approximately 50, with some closures anticipated by January. The group will concentrate on managing 29 owned stores primarily in London, while franchisees will continue to operate other locations such as motorway service stations.
Following the turnaround, Vincent plans to expand Leon to up to 100 UK outlets, mainly in London, and explore potential overseas franchises and joint ventures. The company is also overhauling its menu by removing certain items like sandwiches, enhancing quality with thicker halloumi and smoked salmon, and introducing a spring menu featuring classic dishes such as the fish finger wrap.
In addition, Leon is enhancing staff training with Wing Tsun techniques aimed at improving coffee preparation times and overall service speed, alongside intensified focus on cleanliness and rapid service to elevate customer experience.
