All MCA Insight articles in September 2019 – Page 5
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NewsCraft Union to significantly boost pub pipeline
Craft Union is looking to build its pipeline of sites to 400 over the next year, with a continued focus on its wet-led only community pub proposition, operations director Frazer Grimbleby has told MCA.
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NewsWhelans expands to 10 with new Star Pubs site
South east pub operator Whelans has grown its estate to 10 sites, with the addition of its latest site through Star Pubs & Bars, and has plans to double its footprint.
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NewsEpic Pub Co calls in administrators
Epic Pub Company, the Rufus Hall-chaired operator, has appointed administrators, MCA understands.
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NewsGreggs tops Brand Health index
Greggs has been named the number eating out brand in YouGov’s Brand Health Index.
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NewsPunch and Biff’s team up on vegan offering
Vegan fast food operator Biff’s has partnered with pub operator Punch, in a deal that will see its burgers and wings included on menus across the group’s nationwide portfolio.
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NewsYO! launches Pan Asian inspired Kitchen concept
YO! has opened its first full-service restaurant, YO! Kitchen, in Westfield White City, as it continues to redefine itself beyond its original core sushi offering.
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NewsJKS plans Bao and Hoppers double opening in Kings Cross
JKS Restaurants is planning to open a new Bao and Hoppers in Kings Cross, MCA understands.
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NewsBenito’s Hat undergoes CVA
Benito’s Hat operator Pico’s Ltd has entered into a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) after suffering cashflow problems.
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OpinionCosts: the great balancing act
Increasing costs are a fact of life for businesses and those that take a proactive approach often reap the rewards. Everyone is trying to control and, if possible, reduce business costs and protect margins, however, as Steve Braude and Julia Windsor at AlixPartners argue, more could be done to strike the right balance between making savings and damaging guest experience.
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OpinionWhat makes a Tuesday Purple?
Hospitality and retail are two of the sectors that offer the least positive and accessible experiences for disabled customers. Holly Addison, head of hospitality, travel and consumer digital at executive recruitment firm Odgers Berndtson, calls on the sector to make commit to change as part of Purple Tuesday.
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NewsPapa John’s appoints new supply chain director
Papa John’s UK has appointed former Pizza Hut procurement manager Robert Taylor as its new supply chain director.
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NewsGrowth expected for branded restaurants in 2019
Branded restaurants are expected to see modest sales growth of 1.9% in 2019, amid overall market contraction, according to MCA’s newly-published UK Restaurant Market Report.
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InterviewsWhy Inn Collection set its sight on £1m-plus sites
Following The Inn Colleciton Group’s sale to the Harris family and Kings Park Capital for a reported £300m, MCA revisits a deep-dive interview with MD Sean Donkin, where he details the group’s strategy of buying and building pubs with rooms
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NewsCarluccio’s sees 35% lfls growth at Fresca sites
Carluccio’s has seen a 35% upswing in like for like sales at restaurants that have undergone its ‘fresca’ transformation programme, CEO Mark Jones has told MCA’s Restaurant Conference.
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NewsInvestors willing to pay premium for best in class operators
Despite the greater prevalence of distress transactions, investors are willing to pay top valuations for businesses that are best in class, according to Graeme Smith, MD at AlixPartners.
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NewsSales hike for City Pub Group
The City Pub Group has revealed a sales uplift of 36% to £27.1m for the 26 weeks ended 30 June 2019. It said like for like sales were up 2.6% and pre-tax profits, adjusted for a share options charge and exceptional items, were up 19% to £1.9m.
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NewsHubbox appoints first full time finance director
Hubbox has appointed Chris Hugo as its first full time finance director. Hugo joins Hubbox from Watergate Bay where he spent 16 years as Commercial and Finance Director. During his time at Watergate Bay sales grew from £2m to £19m. Hugo also oversaw the creation and financing of Beach Retreats self-catering holidays and Another Place Hotels. He was also founding director of Fifteen Cornwall.
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NewsApplegreen sees total food sales slip back in H1 2019
Applegreen saw total UK food and store sales slip back from their strong performance last year, to +1.4% for the six months to 30 June 2019.
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OpinionBerenberg on City Pub Group
City Pub Group’s (CPG) H1 results showed “impressive top-line momentum”, said analysts at Berenberg, after the pub operator reported sales were up 36% year-on-year.
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OpinionThinking outside the lunch box
Lunch visits are falling in frequency, but are there ways restaurants can work around, or with, this change in customer habits? Tony Naylor puts his thoughts on paper for MCA’s sister title Restaurant.