Auntie Anne’s, the pretzel on the go concept, is on track to add a further eight units this year targeting transport and shopping centre locations, M&C has learnt.
The group, which three weeks ago opened its first high street café model, has lined up its next three locations and is in talks with landlords to secure a healthy pipeline to reach 40 units by the end of 2015.
Robert Burton, managing director, told M&C the first café style Auntie Anne’s in Woking demonstrates the concept can work in a high street model to make the pretzel store a destination café rather than solely relying on footfall.
This is intended to give the concept greater flexibility when approaching landlords as Burton said property has become the biggest challenge to growth with more competition in the food to go space.
As well as trialling the café-style high street model the company is in discussions with a supermarket chain to open in-store kiosks on a trial basis at c.7-10 units before rolling out nationwide.
Burton said the group has instructed advisors to begin raising £1m of investment to grow the company-owned estate of stores, concurrent to expanding with franchisees.
The performance across the estate is strong, Burton said: “Generally our sales are up year on year on a like for like basis around 12% year on year.”