Alison Ranwell is preparing to celebrate the first birthday of her Italian deli Mangia Mangia. From opening on a tiny budget, the Lichfield business has gone on to win – and be nominated for – a host of awards.
Here, Alison talks about the journey so far with the hope of inspiring other small businesses in tricky times for the hospitality industry.
“When we first planned the Mangia Mangia, we imagined shelves packed with Italian produce, beautiful foods made fresh every day, the sound of a meat slicer humming, cappuccino cups clinking, and regulars chatting at the counter.
We wanted to bring all the aspects of Mangia Mangia together under one roof, breathe life back into the Old Picture House building and bring a deli to Lichfield, but we didn’t have the budget.
What we did have was determination, resourcefulness and a family of creatives to make it work!
We began with a simple goal: create an authentic Italian deli and spritz bar that could support itself without waste – financial or environmental.
Money was really tight so to build the deli, we took out a small business loan and focused on what we actually needed to open the doors: reliable equipment, a workhorse coffee machine, an efficient kitchen and a team of dedicated staff.
Buying brand-new equipment was out of the question. Even a single commercial fridge could wipe out our entire budget so we turned to second-hand.
We spent weeks scanning listings, visiting closed-down cafés, and talking to other business owners. Some of it felt like a gamble – driving across the country to inspect a pre-loved dough mixer, negotiating over used display fridges and collecting vintage mirrors and farmhouse tables one by one, but it paid off. In the end, we saved thousands!
More importantly, we avoided contributing to unnecessary manufacturing and waste. Not everything is perfect but this has become part of our story. We used Etsy artisans for signage and picked up second-hand furniture, restoring and upcycling where we could. Instead of hiding imperfections, we embraced them – the space feels honest – unpolished, lived in and warm.
We’ve had so many comments on how beautiful the deli is and realised something important: authenticity doesn’t come from spending money, it comes from intention.
Our menu is small and seasonal, built around fresh bread, Italian cheeses and cured meats, good coffee, and our signature lasagne, with changing Saturday specials that reflect what’s in season. We work with local farmers, support small businesses, and make sure nothing goes to waste—everything has a second life, from soups to antipasti to surplus shared through Too Good To Go.
In the beginning, it was long days and constant challenges. We’d never done this before, but we were determined, and it’s always been a family effort. As we’ve grown, we’ve built a team that cares about food and people, learning names, remembering orders, and treating customers like neighbours.
We recently won two silver awards at the Visit Staffordshire & Stoke on Trent Tourism Awards – Isabella for ‘Rising Star’ as co-owner and manageress, and the deli as ‘Food & Drink Retailer of the Year’. And I have been nominated as a finalist in the Women in Food & Drink National Awards in two categories – ‘Hospitality Hero’ and ‘Rising Star’.
To achieve this after opening eight months ago, feels like a huge celebration, as does every compliment, every review, and every time someone feels welcome and appreciated.
Today, our deli isn’t flashy. It doesn’t need to be. It’s busy, it’s loved, and it works.
And every scratch on the table, every reused detail tells the same story: you don’t need a big budget to build something meaningful, you just need to make every decision count.”
It is a great example of ingenuity, determination and hard work. Thank you Team Mangia Mangia!