Humpit Hummus has been forced to close seven sites following its rapid pre-pandemic expansion.
The hummus and pita bar concept grew to 13 sites prior to the first lockdown last year and had plans to open one in Manchester city centre that spring and a second near London Bridge in the second half of the year.
Co-founder Jonathan Phillips told MCA that the pandemic had dealt a blow to the business, and said the closures were “100% down to Covid”.
It is now left with six sites, in St Giles’ Street, Northampton; The Springs, in Thorpe Park, Leeds; University Union Leeds; Orchard Square Shopping Centre, Sheffield; Queen Street, Huddersfield and Royal Holloway, University Union.
Phillips, sales and marketing director, said the branches that remained open were still not running at full capacity because the business catered mostly to office workers.
“The new normal means they are still working from home unfortunately,” he said.
Humpit has been regrouping and is now going to start looking at suburbs and more university sites, Phillips said.
He expects a site in South Manchester to go ahead within the next two months, then one in Leeds and London “hopefully” in the second half of next year.
“It’s all takeaway now but in the suburbs we are going to focus more on the eat-in. Up until now they’ve been a mixture of dine in and takeaway.
Humpit opened its first branch at Leeds Corn Exchange seven years ago.
