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InterviewsPizza Pilgrims: ‘The business is overall in good shape’
The 22-strong chain is trading ahead of expectations, with a focus on menu innovation and new sites both within and outside London, co-founder Thom Elliot tells MCA
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Interviews
Itsu: The butterfly effect
Chief customer officer Neil Miller speaks to MCA about the brand’s digital progression, integrating loyalty across its restaurant and grocery businesses and the ‘silver bullet’ potential of its app
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Interviews
Mowgli: Lots of whitespace to grow in UK
Founder and CEO Nisha Katona talks to MCA about growing her Indian restaurant group – and the potential to go global under backer TriSpan
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Interviews
Budweiser’s UK president: ‘I feel very lucky that people love beer’
Brian Perkins is steering the megabrewer through a major inflection point, taking the brand ‘beyond beer’ as it steers its way through headwinds
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Interviews
Inception Group: ‘The roaring 20s will come again’
Co-founder Charlie Gilkes speaks to MCA about the London bar group’s ideas for new concepts, opportunities to grow existing brands, and its mission to create memorable experiences
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Interviews
Young’s: ‘We are optimistic for the year ahead’
Young’s saw like-for-like sales up 10% last week, with all regions except the West Country up on pre-pandemic levels and central London now its best performing region, CEO Simon Dodd tells MCA
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Interviews
Poke House: ‘Investment will kickstart UK expansion’
The international poke brand is looking to build on the nine locations it has in London, including new sites in the suburbs, its UK co-country head tells MCA
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Interviews
Gravity: ‘We’re expecting to see turnover double’
The retail, entertainment, and leisure concept plans to open a further 10 UK sites and expects to see turnover double from 2019 levels, chief growth officer Michael Harrison tells MCA
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Interviews
Lina Stores to launch own brand coffee and move to all-day offer
With an 80-year legacy behind the brand, MCA speaks to COO Éadaoin McDonagh about Lina’s upcoming sites, making the move into breakfast, and going international
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Interviews
Boom Battle Bar: ‘The aspiration is to open many more’
Richard Harpham, CEO of parent company XP Factory speaks to MCA about the long-term growth plans for concept, the development of its food offering and why Boom Battle operates in a sweet spot
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Interviews
Simmons Bars: ‘We’re planning to start national roll-out next year’
The group will open its 26th site in June and has four more in legals, including its first outside central London, CEO Nick Campbell tells MCA.
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Interviews
Karak Chaii to open 20 sites per year
The Indian street food concept is on track to reach a 25-strong estate by the end of 2023, with sites opening in Brompton and Tooting this summer, advisor Paolo Peretti tells MCA
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Interviews
Parogon Group: ‘We’re looking at opportunities for the formats we’ve got’
The pub and restaurant operator is looking at two sites for its all-day dining brand Willow, alongside growing its Orange Tree brand, MD Richard Colclough tells MCA
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Interviews
M&B: ‘We are very optimistic about the second-half’
With a stronger first half than expected, record high guest scores and cost pressures starting to ease, CEO Phil Urban tells MCA he’s feeling very positive about the future
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Interviews
Stonegate: ‘It’s our job to be restless and stay at the leading edge’
In his first major interview since joining Stonegate as CEO, David McDowall sits down with MCA to share his own bar to boardroom journey, his plans for innovating and refreshing across the estate, and why he remains optimistic despite the sector enduring a “bloody hard time”
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Interviews
Marston’s: ‘We have kept going on menu evolution’
With three lemon gins proving a headache for customers, Marston’s CEO Andrew Andrea tells MCA how the pub operator has slashed spirit options by 50% to simplify its drinks offer
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Interviews
Greggs: ‘Travel hubs are critical to our growth’
The food to go retailer is working hard to rectify its underpresentation in retail parks, boost airport openings and capitalise on the big opportunity for more roadside locations, CEO Roisin Currie tells MCA
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Interviews
Paris Baguette: ‘We haven’t scratched the surface in the UK yet’
With more than 4,000 stores globally, the bakery and patisserie concept is looking to expand further in and around London, COO Nico Gaillot tells MCA
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Interviews
Jane O’Riordan: ‘I’m always pushing for innovation’
MCA’s Retailers’ Retailer of the Year discusses her career to date, her passion for the three businesses she chairs and her wish for the sector to see beyond its short-term crises
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Interviews
Badiani to focus on growing outside London
The gelato concept will open in Windsor and target other cities in the South, while also launching in Japan this summer, CEO Massimo Franchi tells MCA
