All Wagamama articles – Page 9
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NewsReview of the Year Part Two
When England achieved the impossible, and destroyed the indestructible All Blacks in the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup, it looked like it was going to be a bumper day for hospitality on the day of the final. The UK would wake up early and hit the pubs and bars first thing to watch England win the final, followed by trips to restaurants, followed by pubs, bars and clubs, before ending up slumped on the sofa trying to focus on the highlights and order a Deliveroo. All England had to do was win.
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NewsFast-moving grown-up Coco di Mama ‘can do’
Carbs and caffeine is a formula that has fuelled Coco di Mama’s expansion well. The fast-casual brand has been deftly serving long queues of office workers just that since 2011. This sweet spot customer, the 25-35-year-old affluent City worker, was the genesis of the brand in Fleet Street. While this core demographic served Coco well in its early years, a new management team last year realised it needed to broaden its appeal if it was to continue its expansion into adulthood.
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NewsM&A Review of the Year
It certainly hasn’t been a year in hospitality M&A for the faint hearted, but for those who have stuck with the sector and taken a long-term view, opportunity has knocked. Despite fears of an investor hiatus as a result of lingering uncertainty (ongoing Brexit delays certainly haven’t been helpful to M&A advisors!), the past 12 months has again proved the robustness of the M&A market in this sector, and points to further opportunities for 2020.
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NewsDark kitchen boom throws-up licensing and regulatory concerns
Practically unheard of 18-months-ago, ‘dark kitchens’ is a phrase fast becoming common currency in the burgeoning food-delivery market. However, the very nature of them, coupled with the speed at which they’re being opened, is throwing-up a number of licensing issues, with some local authorities said to be playing catch-up when ...
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NewsGunwharf Quays – Restaurant and retail therapy a plenty!
With more than 30 bars, cafés and restaurants (as well as over 90 shops) Gunwharf Quays offers an abundance of opportunities for plenty of remedial treatment. Supported by its impressive waterfront location, attractive design and assorted leisure-related reasons to visit, Gunwharf Quays is one of the UK’s finest outlet shopping centres. So amongst some Christmas shopping, I was keen to see how it is using its extensive assortment of Food & Beverage purveyors to both restore weary shoppers as well as to act as a footfall driver in its own right. But also, and more critically, I was keener to see some something new and surprising.
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NewsThe Highs and Lows of Promotions
In recent weeks I have looked into various elements of economising behaviour by consumers, including targeting low prices and more spending at weekends as opposed to weekdays, today’s focus is on the widely prevalent, yet potentially damaging, practice of promotional activity. Key questions asked include whether its usage is rising, who’s buying into the offers the most and what are the most popular promotion types. The core focus area is the key dinner day-part within the chain restaurant sector and the source of answers is MCA’s consumer tracking service, the Eating Out Panel.
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NewsA successful restaurant story – Nando’s
How about this for a straightforward, five point recipe for scalable restaurant success? Step 1, target the highest eating out frequency demographic with a highly affordable offering. Step 2, develop a distinctive proposition that avoids imitating any direct competitor. Step 3, keep the product offer tight to support consistent product quality. Step 4, develop a format strategy that works across multiple locations while not overpaying for sites. Step 5, work hard on building loyalty and repeat custom.
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NewsJo Fleet named ‘unsung hero’
Flat Iron, Wagamama, Caravan and Lina Stores were among winners at Restaurant magazine’s R200 Awards held in London last night (4 December).
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NewsAnother Deliveroo ad banned for misleading customers
The ASA has banned a recent Deliveroo TV ad for misleading consumers. The ad showed a woman receiving a Deliveroo order to her home, then handing out meals from various restaurants to her family and friends from a single bag, calling out “Chinese, KFC, Wagamama, Greek salad, Pizza Express, Burger King, Five Guys, Doner, Buon Giorno Italiano, prawn crackers…” before disappearing into the bag.
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Analysis & InsightDelivery menus 6% more expensive
Average dish prices are 6% higher on delivery menus compared to in-restaurant menus, MCA analysis reveals.
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NewsHop Vietnamese closes in on crowdfunding target
Hop Vietnamese has raised more than three quarters (81%) of its £750k crowdfunding target, with 19 days still left to go.
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NewsAnalysts’ verdict: JP Morgan and Goodbody on Wagamama
Wagamama’s second quarter trading update may have revealed its lowest like-for-like growth rate since Q4 2016, but according to analysts at JP Morgan this is missing the point.
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NewsMamago opens its doors on London’s Fenchurch Street
Mamago, Wagamama’s ‘little sister,’ is to open to the public today at 120 Fenchurch Street with a new menu adapted for the to-go site. Consumers should expect healthy, fresh food prepared in around four minutes or less, the website promises.
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NewsWagamama continues positive streak with 6.3% lfls growth
Wagamama has reported UK like for like sales growth of 6.3% for the 22-week period to September 29 2019.
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Analysis & InsightFranco Manca scores UK’s favourite dish
Franco Manca’s chorizo & mozzarella pizza has been named the UK’s most popular menu item by ratings app TopDish.
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OpinionThe profitable Pickup paradox
At first glance, Deliveroo’s latest development, called Pickup, is a perfect paradox. Normally Deliveroo only fails to deliver when one of its more myopic drivers fails to find the right front door, now it’s being built into the business model. How can a business literally named after delivery not deliver?
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NewsWagamama grab-and-go concept to launch 26 November
The Restaurant Group’s Wagamama food-to-go spin off, Mamago, is to launch on London’s Fenchurch Street on 26 November.
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OpinionSchool of Woky
In just a few years former Masterchef contestant Larkin Cen has created a mini-empire in Bristol and is eying an opening in Cardiff. He can now be considered one of the UK’s most exciting Chinese chefs.
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Opinion
Detangling digital transformation
Companies that have embraced digital transformation have the ability to plug in technology overnight, without significant cost, to identify what will drive a commercial return, without hampering operations. The benefit to our industry is entirely transformational, says Fourth’s group chief technical officer Christian Berthelsen.
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OpinionChange is happening everywhere
Seismic shifts are sweeping through the sector thanks to a combination of M&A, technological developments and consumer behaviour. Who knows what’s going to happen next?