Shwetali Sapte
Shwetali joined MCA as senior news and finance reporter in March 2022.
Contact info
- Tel:
- +44 (0)1293 846578
- Email:
- Shwetali.sapte@mca-insight.com
Analysis & InsightHospitality enters Christmas with flat sales growth
Managed hospitality groups recorded like-for-like growth of just 0.3% in November, with restaurants continuing to struggle while pubs delivered their tenth consecutive month of growth, according to the latest NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker
InterviewsTaco Bell: ‘150 stores sounds like a lot – but there’s room for much more’
Ian Cranna, general manager for UK & Europe, speaks to MCA about reaching the 150-site milestone, accelerating expansion further, and what’s behind Taco Bell’s success story
NewsCoaching Inn Group promotes Adam Charity to MD
Charity, who originally joined the pubs-with-rooms business in 2008, has served as COO since last year and now takes on the managing director role
NewsCoffee prices likely to stay elevated, says Caffè Nero’s Gerry Ford
The Nero Group founder has said customers will have to get used to higher prices due to exorbitant commodity costs, but is conscious of the £5 tipping point
NewsRichard Smothers joins Greggs as NED
Smothers, previously CFO and currently non-executive director at Greene King, joins Greggs with experience in senior finance roles across hospitality and retail
NewsBlack Sheep Coffee signs Oxfordshire development agreement
Black Sheep has partnered with existing franchisees Anika Dhamecha and Ishaan Khiroya for new openings across the county, complementing its existing Oxford city centre location.
NewsGreene King loyalty programme hits one million customers
Three months after launching a new and evolved app, the pub company has achieved the one million milestone while making wider investments in digital growth
Analysis & InsightEating out frequency and spend on the rise
Participation in the eating and drinking out market fell 1.6ppts in the four weeks to 24 November, though consumers spent 10.3% more per visit year-on-year
InterviewsTom Kerridge: Business rates rises will make it harder to ‘keep our doors open’
The Michelin-starred chef has said he still supports the Labour Party, but criticised the government for failing to reform business rates
NewsKFC: ‘Hospitality can help close the employment gap’
Chelsea Hamlyn, chief people and culture officer at KFC UK & Ireland, has called for greater investment in youth employability programmes to help more young people find work
NewsGlobal Brands founder joins publicans in banning Labour MPs from premises
Steve Perez, who also operates pubs and hotels in the Midlands, said the prime minister “lied to his face” about business rates
NewsPub chiefs call for 30% business rates relief after emergency summit
The BBPA has demanded pub-specific business rates relief following a summit of industry leaders this week, warning that the industry faces further closures and job losses
NewsRoss Warnes joins Pret as UK & Ireland president
Warnes brings a wealth of experience from roles at Kraft Heinz, Unilever, and Nestle, and will oversee Pret’s UK & Ireland estate of more than 500 stores
NewsCaffè Nero achieves another record with £338m sales
The Nero Group has posted record sales of £338m in the first half of FY26, with strong performance driven by successful menu innovation including matcha drinks and pistachio croissants
NewsOpenings of the week
MCA rounds up the week’s biggest openings stories, including new sites from Loungers, Mulligans, Honest Greens, and more
Analysis & InsightChristmas hospitality bookings see slight dip year-on-year
Insights from Dojo, based on bookings data across hospitality venues in the UK, suggest a difficult economic backdrop is impacting discretionary spend during the festive period
Analysis & InsightFood price inflation forecast to average 4.6% in 2026
Food price inflation is expected to keep accelerating, with operators urged to focus on strategic procurement and supply chain optimisation to mitigate rising costs, according to Prestige Purchasing
Analysis & InsightHospitality profit margins squeezed as costs outpace sales growth
Food purchasing prices have risen 50% since 2020 while operators have increase menu prices by 7.6% every year on average, squeezing margins across the sector, according to CGA
Interviews6 of 1 Group: ‘There’s always room for excellence’
Frank Yeung and Abhinav Malde, the operators behind Mr Bao, speak to MCA about their next venture - a Hong Kong-inspired eatery combined with a wonton noodle soup bar
NewsNick Mackenzie: ‘This isn’t the relief or reform we were promised’
Many publicans are questioning how they will stay in the business over the coming years, the Greene King CEO has said