Merisu

About Merisu

Merisu, an Italian dessert business focused on tiramisu, was founded in Rome in 2016 and has a flagship store in the Trastavere region of the city, at Via di S Francesco a Ripa. Merisu has since expanded to Spain and Poland, with Romania and the US also in the pipeline, and the UK firmly in its sights.

In June 2025, founder Anthony Zullo told Propel he is looking to close a deal for a UK master franchise this year and sees potential for 20-30 sites here. He said: “Our project for this year is to open another store in Poland and probably close a deal with the UK. We have already closed a deal with the US too, with the first open by the end of this year. Right now, it is only high street stores, but the project in the US will be for mall kiosks, and in Romania the same, plus the next one in Poland. That will be the focus for the UK market too.

“The mall kiosk project was received very enthusiastically in the US, Poland and Romania as there are very few dessert concepts there, especially Italian, and tiramisu is very well known around the world and fits well in the mall. For the UK, a big city will be the first, but it can work in smaller towns across the country.

“Of course, we would love to be in London, but where we go first depends on the franchisee. We’re open to a master franchise for the whole of the UK or for different areas, and I believe the target for the UK market would be about 20-30 sites.”

Zullo also said the brand is “based around the experience just as much as the product”. He added: “It is built around the fact we are the only ones doing tiramisu prepared from scratch in front of the customer. I think offering that experience is one of the main reasons we are getting a lot of attention.”

Why franchise with Merisu

• ✓Merisu exhibited at the International Franchise Show at London’s Excel in April 2026, as it seeks partners with which to enter the UK market. The company said: “Merisu is an Italian brand specialising in artisanal tiramasu that has reinvented this classic into a unique experience. It combines tradition, operational simplicity and a clear vision for international expansion.
• ✓“The offering revolves around the Tiramashow, a live preparation where every detail, from the coffee to the mascarpone cream, is made in front of the customer, turning the product into an emotional and multi-sensory experience.”
• ✓A Merisu franchise has a franchise fee of £25,000, initial investment from £79,000, a 5% royalty fee and 2% marketing fee.

Investment breakdown