Thu 29th Jan 2026 - Exclusive: Federal Café secures £3m of new investment for next stage of growth, Dame Karen Jones to chair Exclusive – Federal Café secures £3m of new investment for next stage of growth, Dame Karen Jones to chair: Cafe concept Federal Café has secured £3m of new investment from private equity group Foresight to aid its next stage of expansion, with Dame Karen Jones joining the four-strong business as its new chair, Propel has learned. Founded in 2014 by Claudio Ribeiro, Federal Café, which says it offers “high-quality food in a relaxed, informal atmosphere”, currently operates three sites in Manchester and a site in Leeds, which opened last month. Foresight, which currently backs Professionals at Play – the parent company of Roxy Lanes, Roxy Ball Room and King Pins – and previously backed Mowgli and 200 Degrees, said that Federal has a significant opportunity to expand by accelerating its site rollout and replicating its successful offering and operating model. It said the business has the growth potential to deliver 18 sites by 2030, resulting in the creation of up to 250 jobs. At the same time, Foresight has hired Jones as chair to support the Federal management team. Jones brings a wealth of hospitality experience from her extensive executive and non-executive experience with Café Rouge, Frontier Pubs, Hawksmoor, Deliveroo, Whitbread and Mowgli. Ribeiro, founder and chief executive at Federal, said: “This investment marks a significant milestone for Federal. With Foresight’s backing, we can accelerate our regional expansion and bring our unique brunch experience to more communities. We’re proud of what we’ve built and excited about the opportunities ahead.” Jones said: “Federal occupies a vibrant space in the growing market for daytime socialising over great coffee and delicious food. Federal aims to be at the heart of the communities it serves and Claudio’s belief in the power of hospitality to brighten a customer’s day is inspiring.” Clare Alvarez, partner at Foresight, said: “Federal represents exactly the type of high-quality, scalable business we look to back. Its strong brand, exceptional customer experience and proven model in a growing market segment make it an exciting investment opportunity. We’re delighted to support Claudio and the team as they embark on the next phase of growth.” Last year, Propel revealed Federal Cafe, which offers Australian and New Zealand-inspired brunch dishes, had appointed advisors Will Baxter and Payam Keyghobadi, of Dow Schofield Watts London, as it looked to secure new backing to ramp up its expansion plans. The business is thought to have attracted interest from both trade buyers and private equity over the course of the process. Ribeiro previously said the concept has the potential to grow to more than 50 locations and become a UK-wide business, with a focus on major cities and university towns. Federal Cafe features in the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality, which is one of six databases exclusive to Premium Club subscribers. The latest edition features 1,387 companies. The companies, listed in alphabetical order, have their most recent developments reported as well as broader information around Ebitda, plans and trading style available. The database merges Companies House information, interviews and other public information to provide an easy to reference and exhaustive guide to the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.