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Jamie Oliver pays himself £1.7m dividend as profits halve

Created at 21 Aug · 12:11 PM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

Jamie Oliver Holdings saw pre-tax profits slump to £1.25m in 2025 from £2.4m a year earlier, after exceptional costs related to a business restructure and pre-opening expenses. The company paid out a £1.7m dividend to Jamie and Jools Oliver.

Key Numbers

£1.7mdividend paid to Jamie and Jools Oliver
40%dividend down on last year
£28.4msales at Jamie Oliver Holdings
£1.25mpre-tax profits in 2025
£2.4mpre-tax profits in previous year
£1.46mexceptional costs for business restructure
20jobs lost from media team
17%sales rise at owned restaurants
£4.3msales at owned restaurants
6.5%sales rise at franchise restaurants
£4msales at franchise restaurants
48%income soar at cookery school
£1.6mincome at cookery school
£83m
debt from original Jamie's Italian chain collapse
1,000job losses from original Jamie's Italian chain collapse
£2mdecline in royalties, licensing and endorsement income
£15.9mroyalties, licensing and endorsement income

Who's Involved

Jamie Oliver
paid himself and Jools Oliver a £1.7m dividend
Jools Oliver
paid herself and Jamie Oliver a £1.7m dividend
Jamie Oliver Holdings
reported profits slump and paid out dividends
Brava Hospitality Group
backing new Jamie's Italian restaurants

↳ Why This Matters

The financial performance of Jamie Oliver's business empire highlights the challenges in traditional media and licensing revenue streams, even as his restaurant and cookery school ventures show growth. The significant dividend payout, despite halved profits and job losses, may raise questions about the company's financial priorities.

Key facts

  • Jamie Oliver Holdings' pre-tax profits fell to £1.25m in 2025 from £2.4m in the prior year.
  • Sales remained broadly steady at £28.4m.
  • Exceptional costs of £1.46m were incurred due to a business restructure, resulting in about 20 job losses.
  • Jamie and Jools Oliver paid themselves a £1.7m dividend.
  • Income from royalties, licensing, and endorsements declined by nearly £2m to £15.9m.

Jamie Oliver Holdings has seen its pre-tax profits nearly halve to £1.25m in 2025, down from £2.4m the previous year. This decline occurred despite broadly steady sales of £28.4m, which were only slightly lower than the prior year. The company incurred £1.46m in exceptional costs related to a business restructure that led to the loss of approximately 20 jobs from Oliver's media team. Additionally, pre-opening expenses for a new cookery school at John Lewis's Oxford Street store impacted profits.

Despite the overall profit dip, several areas of the business showed strong performance. Sales at owned and operated restaurants increased by 17% to £4.3m, while franchise restaurant sales, including Jamie Oliver's Deli and Jamie Oliver Kitchen, rose by 6.5% to £4m. Income from cookery schools soared by 48% to £1.6m. The group also launched Jamie Oliver Catherine Street, marking a return to the UK restaurant scene, and reopened Jamie's Italian in London's Leicester Square, backed by Brava Hospitality Group, with potential for up to 40 more locations.

However, the group's largest income stream, royalties, licensing, and endorsements, which includes a Tefal pan range, saw a significant drop of close to £2m, falling to £15.9m. This marks the second consecutive year of decline in this segment, partly due to the end of a major deal with Tesco in 2023. In light of these financial results, Jamie and Jools Oliver paid themselves a dividend of £1.7m, a decrease of over 40% compared to the previous year. Looking ahead, ten new franchise restaurants are planned globally this year, with one already opened in Abu Dhabi.

Frequently asked questions

Jamie and Jools Oliver paid themselves a dividend of £1.7m.

Profits were affected by £1.46m of exceptional costs related to a business restructure and pre-opening costs for a new cookery school.

Sales at owned and operated restaurants rose 17%, franchise restaurant sales increased 6.5%, and cookery school income soared 48%.

Ten new franchise restaurants are planned globally this year, and there is potential for up to 40 more Jamie's Italian locations in the UK.

What Happens Next

01Ten new franchise restaurants are planned to open globally this year.
02One additional Jamie's Italian restaurant is planned for the UK this year if a suitable site is secured.

How It Developed

Jamie Oliver Holdings reported sales of £28.4m in 2025.
Pre-tax profits fell to £1.25m from £2.4m.
Exceptional costs of £1.46m were incurred due to a business restructure.
Approximately 20 jobs were lost from the media team.
Pre-opening costs for a new cookery school were incurred.
Sales at owned restaurants rose 17% to £4.3m.
Franchise restaurant sales increased 6.5% to £4m.
Cookery school income soared 48% to £1.6m.

Sources

T1
Jamie Oliver pays himself £1.7m dividend as profits almost halveThe Guardian

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