Story of the Day - 6 November 2024
Foodservice inflation eases for the 15th month but underlying pressures remain
Year-on-year inflation in the hospitality sector continued its downward trend in September, falling to 2.4%, according to the latest Foodservice Price Index report from Prestige Purchasing and CGA by NIQ. But while this marks the 15th consecutive month of decline, the report also highlights persistent inflationary pressures, with nine out of ten categories showing month-on-month price increases.
A 2-night European study tour to the number 1 food capital of the world
(As recently declared by Time Out magazine)
The world’s best cities for food in 2024 have been named by Time Out and it’s Naples – the birthplace of Pizza that takes the crown.
To book your place please contact:
myles@hospitality-inc.co.uk
or call 07710 783485
6 November 2024
Caffe Nero acquires transport hub coffee business FCB
The Nero Group, the Gerry Ford-led, premium coffee house business, has acquired transport hub coffee business FCB Coffee. FCB was founded in 1998 when it opened its first kiosk in London. The business has developed over the years and now has 11 locations in travel hubs across London and the south east. FCB provides a specialty coffee offering that gives commuters the option of purchasing high-quality coffee while in transit.
6 November 2024
JD Wetherspoon – Q1 lfls sales up 5.9%, cost inflation has jumped substantially again following the budget
JD Wetherspoon has reported that its like-for-like sales in the first 14 weeks of its financial year to 3 November were 5.9% higher than the same period last year. Bar sales increased by 5.7%, food by 5.7% and slot/fruit machines by 13.5%.
6 November 2024
Hospitality industry in ‘survival mode’ after budget blow
Britain’s hospitality industry is in “survival mode” after a £3bn increase in tax and wage costs imposed in last week’s budget, ministers have been warned. The Times reports that at a meeting with leaders of the retail, leisure and food and drink sectors, Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, was told that the tax bill for employing a part-time worker had increased by 73% as a result of lowering the threshold for national insurance contributions.
6 November 2024
BrewDog hires Lisa Buckley as new chief retail officer
Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has hired Lisa Buckey (pictured), former chief executive of Leisure TV Rights (LTR) and ex-managing director of Cote, as its new chief retail officer – a global role overseeing the company’s retail offering, which includes more than 120 bars and hotels across the world. Buckley stepped down as chief executive of Ninja Warrior operator LTR after two and a half years in the role last month.
6 November 2024
KFC UK system sales down 6% in third quarter and 3% year to date
Yum! Brands has reported KFC system sales in the UK were down 6% for the third quarter ended 30 September 2024 compared with the previous year. In the year to date, KFC UK system sales have fallen 3% – one of four markets that have seen a drop in sales.
6 November 2024
Domino’s sees return to positive like-for-like sales in Q3, £4 lunch “really resonating with customers”
Domino’s Pizza Group saw its Q3 like-for-like system sales grow by 0.7% on a comparable basis and total system sales of £374.8m, up 3%. It reported total orders of 17.4 million in the quarter, up 3.5% on the previous year. It said: “Total orders have continued their positive momentum in Q4 and were up 5.8% in the first five weeks on a comparable basis. We expect FY24 Underlying EBITDA to be in the range of current market expectations.”
6 November 2024
Burger & Lobster eyes regional return
Burger & Lobster, the nine-strong restaurant group, is eyeing a return to the expansion trail in the UK and is understood to be in talks on making a new move outside of London. Propel understands that the business, which previously operated sites in Cardiff and Manchester, is in advanced talks on taking a site in Brighton’s Market Street in The Lanes.
6 November 2024
Sixes extends partnership with TeamSport, first Sixes Growth site to open next week
Sixes, the cricket-based competitive socialising concept, has extended its partnership with TeamSport, Britain’s biggest indoor go-karting operator, with an opening in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The first site under the new partnership, which sees Sixes’ offer integrated into TeamSport’s sites, was launched this summer in London’s Docklands.
6 November 2024
Poke House secures €5.5m loan to support expansion plans
Poke House, Europe’s largest poké restaurant brand, has secured a new €5.5m (£4.61m) loan to help expand its presence internationally. Investment management firm Banca Ifigest provided the new loan to support Poke House in its “strategic development plan launched in 2019, with the aim of consolidating and expanding its presence on the international market”.
6 November 2024
Ikea plans to open more restaurants across UK
Ikea, which launched its first stand-alone restaurant on the UK high street last week in London’s Hammersmith, has said it plans to open more across the UK. The new restaurant, located next door to Ikea Hammersmith, sold close to 2,000 meatballs on its opening day (Thursday, 31 October) and is on track to shift around 100,000 before Christmas.
5 November 2024
Center Parcs plans £400m Scottish holiday village
Center Parcs is developing proposals to create its first holiday village in Scotland. The site chosen for the village is in the Scottish Borders, approximately three miles north of Hawick and 55 miles south of Edinburgh. The estimated investment to build the new village will be between £350m-£400m.
5 November 2024
Plans to ban smoking in pub gardens are scrapped
Pubs and bars have welcomed news that the government has formally scrapped plans to ban smoking in pub gardens. The Government will today (5 November) introduce the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to parliament today, a piece of legislation that will phase out t
October 2024 ~ Premium Club
Each year, Premium Club members receive videos from Propel conferences, totalling around 100. The latest videos are from the Propel Talent & Training conference. This collection features Kathryn York, chief people officer at KFC UK and Ireland, who talks through the success of the brands “The Hatch” youth employment programme, which looks to help young people into their first job, and its “The Kentucky Club”, which hosts jobs-based pop-up events around the country for young people. Propel’s conference videos are an excellent way to keep your team informed about the latest developments in the sector.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
October 2024 ~ Premium Club
Premium Club members will receive two updated databases this week. The latest Propel UK Food & Beverage Franchisee Database will be sent out on Wednesday, 6 November. It now has 180 entries and more than 76,000 words of copy. The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club members on Friday, 8 November. The database will show the details of 196 site openings, including Simmons Bars opening their cocktail concept in Manchester; and The Wild Swan from Thornbridge & Co; and BrewDog opening at Belfast Grand Central Station. Premium Club members also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts
October 2024 ~ Premium Club
Premium Club Opinion provides weekly insights from industry leaders. In the current edition, Katherine Doggrell, explores the tight profit margins in hospitality post-pandemic, noting that investors are now pushing for quicker returns and operators are encouraged to use AI to manage costs and improve efficiency. Geof Collyer analyses McDonald’s UK’s financial performance, highlighting a 14% sales increase and profit recovery for franchisees, contrasted with falling profits for corporate stores. Collyer attributes this to the franchise model’s resilience and strategic cost control, suggesting McDonald’s franchisees benefit more from growth trends than the corporate side.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
October 2024 ~ Premium Club
Mark Wingett’s Premium Club Diary delivers insider sector gossip every week to Premium Club members. In this current edition, he explores the success of Wendy’s in the UK as it plans to have 50 restaurants operating by the end of this year and reveals what UK restaurant is the best performing Wendy’s outlet of its 7,000 sites worldwide. He runs the rule over Hawksmoor’s latest financials which includes a 21.5% increase in turnover and the latest plans from the McWin-backed Vapiano brand. Further news concerns Nabil Mankarious, the co-founder and former managing director of Fulham Shore, who is adding to his recent investments in Aubaine and PaStation with another venture.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first, watch vital video content and get event discounts.
5 November 2024
Dishoom appoints advisor as it seeks to secure investment for US launch
Indian restaurant group Dishoom has appointed advisors to help it secure new investment to aid a launch in the US, which could happen as early as next year. Propel understands that the business, which was founded in 2010, is working with Goldman Sachs.
5 November 2024
Exclusive – James Horler joins Paddy & Scott’s as chairman
James Horler. (pictured), the former chief executive of La Tasca and Ego Restaurants, has joined independent coffee shop operator and wholesaler Paddy & Scott’s as its new chairman, Propel has learned. Horler led the management buy-in of La Tasca for £28m in 2001, leading it through a successful initial public offering and eventually selling it for £134m.
5 November 2024
Entry deadline today for Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards and Rising Stars
The deadline for entries to the Restaurant Marketer & Innovator (RMI) Awards is today (Tuesday, 5 November) at 5pm. The awards, in their seventh year, recognise outstanding marketing and innovation in the sector. Finalists will be honoured at a grand awards ceremony in London on Wednesday, 22 January, the finale of the three-day Restaurant Marketer & Innovator European Summit.
5 November 2024
Burger Drop – ‘the ambition is to be as big as Five Guys and KFC’, has more than 200 franchise inquiries in pipeline
North east craft burger concept Burger Drop has said it has more than 200 franchise inquiries in the pipeline and has ambitions to build a business “as big as Five Guys and KFC”. Burger Drop, which was founded in 2020 by Hasan Hamid and Amer Qayyum and currently operates two sites in Newcastle and one in Whitley Bay, is aiming to expand through franchising.
5 November 2024
KFC plans to hire 700 permanent staff before Christmas
KFC UK & Ireland is planning to recruit more than 700 new permanent staff ahead of Christmas. Open to anyone eligible to work in the UK and Ireland, KFC is offering both part-time and full-time permanent roles at restaurants across the country, regardless of experience.
5 November 2024
Hospitality no-shows back to record high
The number of consumers not showing up for their reservations in pubs, bars and restaurants is back to a record high, with 14% not honouring reservations or informing venues in advance. New figures from Zonal’s latest GO Technology report, in partnership with CGA by NIQ, reveals that of more than 5,000 British adults surveyed, 68% who make bookings honour them, while 18% cancel in advance and 14% admit to failing to show without telling their venue.
5 November 2024
Soho Coffee hires new franchise consultant focusing on UK expansion as it lines up new store opening
Soho Coffee Co – which has 28 managed sites and a franchised business with stores in the UK, Europe and the Middle East – has hired a new franchise consultant focusing on UK expansion as it lines up a new store opening. The business, which last year appointed former head of hospitality at Debenhams, Sam Shutt, as its new chief executive, will open the new store later this week, Propel understands.
5 November 2024
Starbucks brings back retro touch with hand-written names on cups
Starbucks is bringing back a nostalgic component of its coffee service to grow its returning customer base. The idea is to emulate the community feel of smaller coffeehouses by incorporating a “human touch.”
Watch highlights from this year’s Propel summer conference and party.
Video presentations of all the speakers are available to Premium Club members, join to unlock exclusive access to 100 insightful videos each year.
To view pictures from the event click here
Propel Exclusive Report
Experiential Leisure report – free for Premium Club members
Experiential leisure’s rapid growth is demonstrated by a 40% uptick in UK competitive socialising venues since 2018. Our 35,000 word report on this fast-growing sector is now free for Premium Cub members and it explores the latest research, examines its market potential and includes a detailed analysis on more than 180 companies operating in excess of 3,000 sites.
The report sets out the history and current meaning of experiential leisure and examines the latest research – including key geographical areas for expansion in the UK. It also explores the current market and provides insight into future trends such as outlets that offer a combination of concepts. It provides a detailed list of UK Experiential Leisure companies including key staff, Companies House information and number of sites.
By joining Propel Premium Club members get access to our industry-leading databases, receive hospitality’s foremost newsletter first and vital video content. Get event discounts and essential insight through Propel Opinion pieces from leading industry commentators, plus much more.
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7 October 2024
Meet Maral, the visionary behind Ayal: Sharing Turkmenistan’s Flavours with London’s Streets
With the help of the McCain Streets Ahead programme, Maral turned her dream into a thriving business. Through Ayal, she offers Londoners a taste of Turkmen cuisine, from Manti dumplings to traditional palav, highlighting the rich heritage of her culture.
9 September 2024
Meet Eman and Bisan Bites: Bringing Palestinian Flavours to London's Streets
In 2022, Eman embarked on a journey to bring the authentic taste of Palestinian cuisine to the street food scene of London. Seeking guidance from the Streets Ahead programme, she transformed her passion into a reality, creating Bisan Bites a business that celebrates her heritage.
17 July 2024
Taste Uzbekistan: The Street Food Duo sharing the traditions and flavours of Central Asia
In 2022, Akbar and Sanobar joined the Streets Ahead program with a clear vision: to become the ultimate destination for food enthusiasts seeking an authentic and immersive experience.
20 June 2024
UTOPIA: The Syrian Street Food Concept making London taste better
Hind Danoun is one of the many successful refugee entrepreneurs to come out of the McCain Streets Ahead Programme. From joining the programme in 2022 to turning over £21,000 in revenue since launching late 2023.
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November 9th 2024
The Propel Naples
Study Tour
The world’s best cities for food in 2024 have been named by Time Out and it’s Naples – the birthplace of Pizza that takes the crown. You can’t talk about food in Italy without considering Naples and you can’t talk about food in Naples without talking Pizza and that is the reason we are inspired to visit the best of what Naples has to offer.