A joint venture between Ashley French of French Village and Paul Catterson of NOVA Restaurant, Orto Pizza has just opened its fourth location at 648 Antrim Road, Belfast, where it has combined two previous units. The new 3,000sq ft restaurant will seat 80 guests and has created 30 new jobs in the area.
The popular brand first opened in Stranmillis in March 2022 and has since expanded into the Cathedral Quarter and Bedford Street areas of Belfast City.
Expanding beyond the Orto restaurants, the business has also invested heavily in its inhouse production with the construction of a purpose-built facility in Moneyreagh, Co. Down. Set to open in late summer, the new production centre will feature the brand’s artisan bakery, FERA, which will be open to the public and continue to serve as the supplier to all Orto locations.
The launch of its new ventures will increase Orto’s total employment to 150 in Northern Ireland. The company expects to be announcing more expansion plans in the next five years.
Ashley French, Managing Director at Orto Pizza said: “It is an incredibly exciting time for us at Orto as we see the brand continue to grow. We have ambitious plans for the future. Opening our fourth location is a huge testament to the team we have and our loyal customers. We have been welcomed into multiple new communities, and we can’t wait to meet our new Antrim Road customers now we are open.”
Paul Catterson, Director at Orto Pizza added: "Our new production and bakery site in Moneyreagh will both enhance our production capabilities and ensure the consistency of our brand and products across all Orto locations. The support from Danske Bank has been instrumental in making this possible. Paul and the team at Danske Bank provide expert guidance to us, combined with local credit decision making and investment, which are invaluable.”
Paul Robinson, Senior Business Manager at Danske Bank: “Orto’s commitment to local job creation and community investment aligns perfectly with our values at Danske Bank and we are delighted to work alongside and invest in them as they continue to grow. We wish them well with the opening of their new locations and look forward to seeing and playing our part in their continued success in the years to come.”
