Hopes and reflections: Views from the top (part 4)

Guy Meakin, interim managing director, Pret A Manger UK & Ireland

“It’s been another big year for Pret and transforming our business. We’ve opened new shops in towns and cities across the country with our fantastic and globally, we’ve launched in several new markets all with the help to our franchise partners. We’ve got no plans to slow down and will be continuing to bring Pret to more people across the UK and around the world in 2023.

“Despite some challenges in the wider economy and the foodservice business, we will need to make sure we’re reaching customers in a way that suits them with products they’ll love. At Pret, we’re doing this by remaining dedicated to our core offer: creating delicious freshly prepared food and organic coffee. We’re continuing to increase our menu innovation, and we’re proud of our new product development which will continue to be a big focus for us in the months ahead.

“We also recognise that value for money will be front of mind for many people next year, and we’re already looking at how we can bring forward products that offer customers variety of price as well as produce. At the same time, we’re doing everything we can to support our people at this difficult time. They are the heart of our business, hence why we’ve invested almost £20m in 2022 in our teams with ahead of inflation pay rises. Focusing on our people will continue to be a top priority in 2023.

“Pret will also continue to lead the industry in supporting people with food allergies. We have taken significant steps forward with our suppliers and labelling policies in the last 5 years, and remain committed to doing everything we can to help every customer get the information they need to make the right choice for them.”

Paula MacKenzie, CEO, PizzaExpress

“2022 was for us dual pronged. Firstly, we entered into two new strategic delivery partnerships. The addition of Just Eat and Uber Eats, together with our valued partner Deliveroo, has got our known & loved iconic pizzas, into even more customers hands. And secondly…for customers dining in we have this year excitingly remodelled a record number of Pizzerias across the country, including our iconic Dean Street Jazz Club in Soho. www.Pizzaexpresslive.com Most definitely worth a visit.

”2023 is set to be another exciting year; not only are we truly omnichannel, from Dine in to Delivery to Grocery to Collect. We have the industry leading loyalty app the PizzaExpress Club which you will see & hear even more from. That combined with the beloved and reenergised PizzaExpress brand, is really going to help people reconnect with their love of American Hot, Sloppy Giuseppe or Padana.”

Sean Donkin, MD, Inn Collection Group

“2022 has been a year of growth and opportunity for The Inn Collection Group and we would consider it a very successful 12 months. We have added eight new premises to our portfolio, we’ve moved our head office and substantially increased the head count of our support staff, we have continued to invest in our people and our communities through initiatives like our Give Inn Back fund and support of NE Youth. That has seen more than £120,000 donated to make a difference to people and good causes and it is important for us to be that force for good.

“From an industry perspective there have obviously been challenges, not least with the seemingly never-ending crises list adding war and energy prices to its index, but hospitality is proving resilient for operators who know their market, their model and their customer base. We have seen this week that new places to eat and drink have played a significant part in the changing face of the “high street” and we have been part of that with The Northallerton Inn, converting the town’s old police station into a beautiful, welcoming Inn.

“A lot of our concentration for the next nine months is going to be around nailing the development of our sites under refurbishment. We have done a lot of building and growing and now we need to get comfortable with the size that we are at for now. There are 12 sites set to reopen in the next 10 months so the investment side going into that is huge. We need to train the teams properly and plan a consolidation of the business.

“I’m also hopeful that a lot of the doom and gloom that exists now can start to lift and we can turn the tables a bit. There are limitations that everyone is facing but if we focus on what we can control and influence, we can look ahead to positive year.”