While the AlixPartners Profit Tracker list is the market-watcher’s pre-eminent guide to dynamism in the sector, there are other operators making waves which haven’t made it on to the list for one reason or another. Mark Wingett provides a snapshot of four that are jostling for a listing.
The four operators below missed out on this year’s AlixPartners Profit Tracker list, which tracks companies with the fastest growing profits in the UK’s eating and drinking out sector, by falling outside the scope of the methodology. However, they are expected, with a fair wind, to make their bows next year.
Their stories highlight the fact that, whatever sector you are in, be it pub or restaurant, wet-led or food-led, a strong management team – together with a focused and quality offer – remain the main drivers of growth.
Burger & Lobster
Sites: 8
Latest turnover: n/a
Growth: n/a
Key personnel: Director George Bukhov; director of operations Simon King
Backer: Privately-funded
Background: Burger & Lobster, the Goodman-owned, London-based group, is already working on its pipeline for next year, with an opening lined up in Leeds. The eight-strong group, which will open
in the former Pacific Oriental site in Threadneedle Street in late spring, will also take on a site on the outside of Hammerson’s Victoria Gate development next year. Away from the capital the company is set to open in Manchester and Bath later this year. It is also believed to have secured a site in the proposed extension to the Hilton Hotel near Liverpool One. The company opened in Cardiff near the end of last year and is thought to be exploring opportunities in the Middle East and France. It opened its first international site last year in New York.
Turtle Bay
Sites: 14
Latest turnover: n/a
Growth: n/a
Key personnel: founder Ajith Jaya-Wickrema
Backer: Piper Private Equity
Background: Bay, the Piper Private Equity-backed Caribbean restaurant chain, plans to open 12 restaurants in total this year. The company, which will open in Cheltenham later this month, has lined up a second opening in Manchester, plus sites in Liverpool, Bournemouth, York and Leeds. It is currently looking to hire four operations managers as it gears up for expansion. The group is looking for operations managers for the north-east, north-west, south-east and south-west. The company, in which Piper has invested £6m, is on track to achieve its target of opening a further 20 outlets over the next three to five years.
Laine Pub Company
Sites: 46
Latest turnover: £25.3m
Growth: 0.6%
Key personnel: Chief executive Gavin George; chairman Gary Pettet
Backer: Risk Capital Partners
Background: The company, formerly known as InnBrighton, was renamed The Laine Pub Company last year, after Risk Capital Partners, the Luke Johnson-led vehicle invested in the business. The new name was chosen to reflect the increasing importance and popularity of its range of craft beers, which are brewed in its three microbreweries, and the broadening of its geographic reach from its historic focus on the Brighton market. The company manages 46 pubs, of which 39 are in Brighton and seven in London. All pubs are individually designed to reflect the heritage and culture of the area in which they are located. It is currently looking at further opportunities to open across south London.
CAU
Sites: 8
Latest turnover: £3.1m
Growth: n/a
Key personnel: Managing director Graham Hall
Backer: Intermediate Capital Group
Background: CAU, the casual dining steakhouse concept and sister group to Gaucho, plans to open six restaurants in total in the first half of this year as it looks to grow to 17 sites by the end of 2015. The company, which will launch its first central London site at St Katharine Docks, has also secured sites with Burger & Lobster in Milsom Place, Bath and in Brindleyplace, Birmingham. It has openings lined up in Reading and Liverpool and has also secured a site in Harrogate’s Albert Street development with an opening lined for the fourth
quarter of next year. The brand will make its north-west debut in Liverpool in the first quarter of 2015 after securing a 5,000sq ft unit in the city’s
