Reversing recent pullbacks

Seven interviews

The Beverage Standards Association brings you Peter’s Monday 27th September 2021 Weekly Briefing every Tuesday morning.

Monday, 27th September 2021 Weekly Briefing
Pret a Manger

And then along comes Pret a Manger with announcements that underline that observation. It intends to reverse recent pullbacks from its international presence by entering 5 more countries, and opening 200 more stores in the UK, with a beefed-up franchising programme. This comes on top of initiatives launched in the past year that will shortly (if everything goes to plan) account for 30% of sales – selling Pret-branded coffee beans and other products on Amazon, and in supermarkets, developing its menu of delivery items, and building up its subscription offer.

COVID has loosened the shackles

All of these things may have been on someone’s to-do list two years ago. But covid has loosened shackles – it’s allowed people and businesses to do what they have always wanted to do – while at the same time providing an imperative to do something to fill gaps in sales and profits caused by the impacts of covid. I suspect we will see more of this over the next few months and years. It will drive changes in the profiles of high streets and city centres. In this context I’m not talking about working from home (already too much talked about). But I am thinking of things like the growth of franchising (at least in the UK where home-grown brands have typically not grown by adopting this strategy).

Thank you for reading part of the Monday 27th September 2021 Weekly Briefing. A full edition can be found here.


Peters Monthly Report for August 2021 is now available here.

Peter provides consultancy on the eating out market and opens eyes to brand new ways of thinking about the sector and its multiple opportunities for success.

(E) peter@peterbackmanfs.com (w) www.peterbackmanfs.com