Knoops set to build on ‘significant growth’ in iced chocolate market after ‘creating a sector’ in London: Hot chocolate shop Knoops is set to build on the “significant growth” it has seen in the iced chocolate market after “ … view

Bread Ahead to open first international sites after signing Saudi Arabia and UAE deals: Independent bakery and baking school Bread Ahead is set to open its first international sites, Propel has learned. The business, founded by Matthew Jo … view

PizzaExpress appoints Paula MacKenzie as new chief executive: PizzaExpress has appointed Paula MacKenzie as its new chief executive. MacKenzie will join the company on Monday, 6 June and replaces David Campbell, who stepped down in Octobe … view

Government accused of failing to support businesses over cost-of-living crisis, calls for energy cap for SMEs: The government has been accused of failing to support businesses as the cost-of-living crisis continues to ramp costs up. Chanc … view

Hostmore reports like-for-like sales down 6% on 2019 levels due to ‘more challenging consumer environment’, takes more prudent view on trading for rest of year: Hostmore, the parent company of Fridays and the 63rd+1st concept in the U … view

Former Gordon Ramsay Holdings chief executive Gillies cuts prices by 15% despite rising costs to ‘maintain accessibility to dining out’: Stuart Gillies, former chief executive of Gordon Ramsay Holdings, has told Propel he has cut pric … view

Hollywood Bowl takes first international steps as it buys Canadian business for £10.6m: Hollywood Bowl, the UK’s largest ten-pin bowling operator, is to expand internationally with the acquisition of Canadian-based bowling business, T … view

Food and drink sales in Britain’s cities back in growth but footfall ‘some way off’ pre-covid levels: Restaurants, pubs and bars in Britain’s major city centres are achieving solid growth in sales from pre-covid levels, new resear … view

Food and drink sales in Britain’s cities back in growth but footfall ‘some way off’ pre-covid levels: Restaurants, pubs and bars in Britain’s major city centres are achieving solid growth in sales from pre-covid levels, new resear … view

TRG reports Wagamama like-for-likes up 15% year to date, concessions business shows strong recovery, food and drink inflation set to be 10% this financial year: The Restaurant Group (TRG) has reported a strong performance with Wagamama l … view

Chilango sale delivers a three-times return for RDCP: RDCP Group (RDCP) has said that the sale of Chilango to Tortilla for £2.75m delivered a three-times return for the London-based investment firm. RDCP Group acquired Chilango out of ad … view

Tortilla acquires Chilango, deal adds a ‘complementary, premium brand’: Tortilla has announced the acquisition of rival Chilango for a total consideration of up to £2.75m from investment firm RDCP Group. Chilango currently operates e … view

Jones – we are not worried about a recession, targets 85 Soho Houses by 2027: Nick Jones, founder and chief executive of Soho House, has said the company is not worried about the prospect of a recession as past experience showed its mem … view

Young’s set to ‘ramp up’ its internal flexible working platform: London pub operator Young’s is looking to “ramp up” its new internal staff rota, the Ram Agency, and get up to 1,000 employees signed up. Young’s launched the … view

Tourism and recreation businesses see growth slow as sector braces for weaker consumer demand: Tourism and recreation businesses, which includes pubs and restaurants, continued to benefit from the relaxation of covid-19 restrictions in Ap … view

Young’s managed house revenue up 17%: Young’s has reported that its managed house revenue for the last 13 weeks, against the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, were up 17% and for the last five weeks versus a year ago up 38.5%. The company … view

Andrea – Two for One has been our worst performing format coming out the pandemic: Andrew Andrea, chief executive of Marston’s, has told Propel the company’s 76-strong Two for One value food pub format has been the company’s worst … view

M&B Q2 lfls up 3.8%: Mitchells & Butlers has reported like-for-like sales growth in the second quarter of 3.8%, resulting in overall like-for-like sales growth of 1% in the 28 weeks to 9 April, despite the adverse impact of Omicron over … view

The Acai Girls aiming to build 20-strong estate in next three years as it secures first standalone sites: Healthy plant-based concept The Acai Girls is aiming to build a 20-strong estate in the next three years as it secures its first sta … view

C&C Group sells stake in Admiral Taverns: C&C Group has announced the sale of its 47% stake in Admiral Taverns to Proprium Capital Partners, with whom it originally invested into the circa 1,600-strong community pub operator in September … view

Managed groups’ like-for-like sales up 2% in April on pre-pandemic levels but cost pressures stunt growth, major challenges ‘yet to come’: Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups recorded like-for-like sales growt … view

McDonald’s facing $1.4bn hit as it reveals plans to sell Russian business: McDonald’s has said it will pull out of Russia after more than 30 years of operation in the country and take a write-off of $1.2bn to $1.4bn for the move. McDo … view

Greggs lfls up 27.4% but cost pressures increasing: Food-to-go retailer Greggs has reported a 27.4% like-for-like increase in sales growth for the first 19 weeks of the year, but said that cost pressures are increasing. The company said … view

Lipscombe – not a week goes by without another supplier putting their prices up: James Lipscombe, chief executive of The Chesterford Group (TCG), which operates circa 40 sites under brands including Churchill’s and Bankers Fish & Chip … view

Foodomnia plans fundraising to fuel growth for Burgerism concept, looks to become the “Domino’s for burgers”: Foodomnia, the north west-based business which builds digitally native food concepts for the delivery food market, is pla … view

Scottish government outlines proposals to allow outdoor restaurant seating without planning permission: Outdoor restaurant seating could be permitted in Scotland without a planning application under new proposals to support the hospitalit … view

Ever since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force in 2005, the industry has seen enforcement action take a much more prominent role in day-to-day operations. Over the years, succe … view

Exclusive – St Austell Brewery makes strong recovery and returns to profit, company ‘in good stead for 2022 and beyond’: Cornwall-based St Austell Brewery, which operates 180 pubs, inns and hotels across the south west, returned to … view

Foodservice inflation hits record 13.6% as supply issues mount: Year-on-year inflation in the foodservice sector hit 13.6% in March 2022, the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index has revealed. The figure is the highest in the histo … view

Foodservice inflation hits record 13.6% as supply issues mount: Year-on-year inflation in the foodservice sector hit 13.6% in March 2022, the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index has revealed. The figure is the highest in the histo … view

Singer Paul Heaton puts £60,000 behind the bar of UK pubs to mark 60th birthday: Singer Paul Heaton has put £60,000 behind the bar at pubs around the UK today (Monday, 9 May) to mark his 60th birthday. A total of 60 pubs were given the … view

Watt – if we show our profit-share scheme can work, maybe we can get other businesses to do the same: James Watt, co-founder and chief executive of Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog, has told Propel that if the business can show its … view

HOP Vietnamese raises £2.25m on back of new operating model, to return to the expansion trail: London-based Vietnamese street food concept HOP is to return to the expansion trail after completing a £2.25m fundraise, on the back of the p … view

Pistachio Holdings increases stake in Creams as founders step away from day-to-day operations: The majority shareholder of dessert parlour operator Creams, Pistachio Holdings, and co-investor, Salonica Maroon, have acquired a further shar … view

Domino’s Pizza Group reports ‘strong’ first quarter but sees impact of VAT rise, orders grow 5.5%: Domino’s Pizza Group has reported “strong” trading in the first quarter with like-for-like system sales, excluding the impact … view

Stonegate makes first move into food-led arena with launch of new Premium Division: Stonegate Group has launched a new division aimed at growing an estate of premium food-led pubs, Propel has learned. The circa 4,580-strong, Simon Longbot … view

Incipio Group plans expansion as it receives fresh investment: Incipio Group, the Edition Capital-backed operator of venues including The Prince and Lost In Brixton, has outlined its expansion plans as it received fresh investment. The Ed … view

JD Wetherspoon reports like-for-likes turn positive in last two weeks, Su Cacioppo to step down: JD Wetherspoon has reported like-for-like sales have turned positive in the last two weeks with the company set to “break even” this fina … view

Donkin – the next few months could be more difficult to navigate than the last couple of years: Sean Donkin, managing director of The Inn Collection Group, thinks the next three to four months could be more difficult to navigate for the … view

Chiabra – Neat Burgers’ US expansion will take lead from UK strategy: Tommaso Chiabra, co-founder and chairman of Neat Food Co, the parent company of the plant-based Neat Burger, has told Propel that the brand’s expansion in the US … view

Financial overview: Greene King reported group revenue of £1.34bn for the 52 weeks ended 2 January 2022, up 41.6% on the previous ye … view