Ynot Italian – founded in Virginia Beach nearly 30 years ago and known for its extensive menu of traditional, homemade Italian entrees – has announced plans to expand its footprint to Richmond.
According to founder and CEO Tony DiSilvestro, the growth will focus on developing both full and express units, and will initially target neighborhoods such as Chesterfield, Glen Allen and Goochland, as well as downtown Richmond. Starting next year, he expects to open three full-scale restaurants and nine express units new units in the area.
The announced expansion will be achieved exclusively through franchising, a program Ynot started in 2010.
“We’re absolutely ready to embark on this next phase of our growth,” says DiSilvestro, noting his belief that the country will experience exponential growth in the next 10 years. “I think it’s a great time to open restaurants right now coming out of a pandemic. People are going to want to go out and have that experience again. We look forward to sharing the Ynot experience with potential franchisees who fit our culture and desire to bring our commitment to family, quality and community into markets such as Richmond.”
Ynot is known for its extensive selection of traditional, homemade Italian entrées including pasta, stromboli, calzoni, hand-tossed pizza, meatballs, soups, sandwiches, custom chopped salads, and desserts like gelato and cannoli. The menu also includes gluten free and vegan options for those with dietary restrictions. All menu options can be personalized to order.
In addition to its family-centric culture and the use of quality ingredients in everything they make, helping the community is another big part of what Ynot Italian does and who they are. “We not only care for our customers and employees, we also care about the communities in which they live, work and play. We’re honored to support many local nonprofit and charitable missions,” adds DiSilvestro. “It’s the Ynot way.”
The local expansion announcement comes on the heels of Ynot’s recent decision to target more markets in its home state of Virginia for growth, as well as key areas in North Carolina, Maryland, and Florida. More specifically, DiSilvestro has named Hampton Roads; Newport News; the Virginia Peninsula; Fairfax; and Raleigh, North Carolina, as potential destinations.
The total investment necessary to open a 5,500-6,000 square foot full-service restaurant is $670,900 to $1,208,850. The total investment for a 1,500-1,700 square foot express unit is $377,400 to $668,800. Both opportunities include a $49,900 franchise fee.
“We’re absolutely ready to become the dominant player in the Italian food franchise industry,” DiSilvestro says.
Today, there are seven restaurants open and operating throughout Virginia.