All articles by Shwetali Sapte
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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NewsOpenings of the week
MCA rounds up the week’s biggest openings stories, including new sites from Loungers, Mulligans, Honest Greens, and more
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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NewsDiageo gears up to open London’s Guinness Open Gate Brewery
The £73m, 54,000ft space opens in Covent Garden tomorrow, encompassing a microbrewery - albeit the Guinness will continue to be brewed in Dublin
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InterviewsXP Factory reflects on ‘remarkable’ year despite tough market
Richard Harpham, CEO of the listed experiential leisure business, tells MCA that Escape Hunt will continue to work towards the 100-site mark as rapidly as possible
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NewsKate Nicholls: ‘We warned them’
Commenting on the recent Budget, the UKHospitality chair has said the government failed to deliver on business rates reform - and that sector will undergo a “structural realignment” in the coming years