Leon CEO – ‘market looks a lot like it did in 2004’, ‘our biggest opponent is ourselves’: John Vincent has told Propel that despite the hospitality industry’s evolution, he believes consumer needs are circling back to the same themes that inspired Leon’s founding in 2004. Vincent, who co-founded the business and bought it back last year, also said that the company’s biggest potential opponent “is only ourselves”. Speaking at the Propel Multi-Club Conference, Vincent said that trends touted by major retailers today – gut health, low carb eating, botanicals – mirror the ideas Leon championed two decades ago. “I don’t feel the customer opportunity has changed dramatically since 2004; that opportunity is still there for Leon to be the best,” he said. Upon re entering the business, Vincent said the problems were even deeper than customers could see. He cited slow service, unclear food proposition and, most critically, years of underinvestment in basic infrastructure. “Air conditioning wasn’t working; the drains still hadn’t been fixed. It had been starved of capex more than I thought,” he said. Vincent said he does not intend to rebuild Leon into a vast chain. The brand has shrunk from around 70 sites to roughly 48, and he expects a natural ceiling around 100 UK restaurants. “I don’t have aspirations to do 300 or 400. I want to get as big as we can without losing customer intimacy,” he said. Asked about the new wave of healthy fast casual brands – including Farmer J, Atis and The Salad Project – Vincent praised them but said they are not his focus. “They’re brilliant, but I genuinely believe our biggest potential opponent is only ourselves,” he said. He argued that business rates, national insurance, and legislation pose a greater threat than rival operators. Vincent said he is not interested in nostalgia for its own sake but believes certain “menu classic” deserve a comeback. “There are a few basic things I want to bring back – the superfood salad, the fish finger wrap, the chorizo burger,” he said. Rather than relaunching a full menu overhaul, Vincent is adopting what he calls a “series of singles” approach, with each dish treated like an individual campaign. Vincent was among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference. All videos from the conference will be released to Premium subscribers on Friday, 10 April, at 9am. Premium subscribers receive all the videos from Propel conferences each year – around 100 in total. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. A new Premium Unlimited Plus option, which costs £1,995 plus VAT per annum, has some amazing additional benefits including four free tickets to Propel’s paid-for conferences – Excellence in Pub & Bar (19 May), Operational Excellence (9 July) and Talent & Training (15 October) – and the opportunity to run one free sponsored message or situation vacant notice during the year on the newsletter. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Ardent Pub Group founder Dominic Jacobs to speak at Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference, open for bookings: Dominic Jacobs, founder and managing director of Ardent Pub Group, formerly JKS Pubs, will be among the speakers at the Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference. The all-day conference takes place on Tuesday, 19 May at One Moorgate Place in London and is open for bookings. Jacobs will discuss securing new investment, expanding in London and how the new generation of pub operators coming through are standing out. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £345 plus VAT for operators and £395 plus VAT for suppliers. There is a 20% discount for operators and suppliers who are Premium Club subscribers while Premium Unlimited Plus subscribers receive four free tickets to the conference. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive next Turnover & Profits Blue Book and videos from Propel Multi-Club Conference today: Premium Club subscribers will receive the next Turnover & Profits Blue Book today (Friday, 10 April), at 12pm. The database will feature 25 new companies and 120 updated accounts. The database now features a total of 1,265 companies, with 759 in profit and 506 making a loss. The Blue Book is updated each month and ranks companies by turnover, profit and profit conversion, listing directors’ earnings for the past five years. Also tomorrow, at 9am, Premium subscribers will receive all 13 videos from the Propel Multi-Club Conference. Premium subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Multi-Site Database, the New Openings Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club subscribers also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel chief operating officer – editorial, Mark Wingett, and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. A new Premium Unlimited Plus option, which costs £1,995 plus VAT per annum, has some amazing additional benefits including four free tickets to Propel’s paid-for conferences – Excellence in Pub & Bar (19 May), Operational Excellence (9 July) and Talent & Training (15 October) – and the opportunity to run one free sponsored message or situation vacant notice during the year on the newsletter. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

 

Propel Premium Opinion – Samyukta Nair reflects on the current hospitality landscape ahead of her latest opening: Samyukta Nair – who is behind concepts such as MiMi Mei Fair, Jamavar, Bombay Bustle and Nipotina in London – reflects on the current hospitality landscape ahead of her latest opening in today’s (Friday, 10 April) Propel Premium Opinion. Nair will launch her latest venture, Miko Mei Fair, in the space below MiMi Mei Fair, in Mayfair’s Curzon Street, next month. She also discusses international expansion, how her Italian concept Nipotina has been received, current trading patterns, working harder for each cover and the closures of Socca and Koyn. Also in today’s Propel Premium Opinion, which will be sent at 5pm, Flo Graham-Dixon, founder of sector advisory business Juniper Strategy, looks at how brands are turning purpose into profit, while Katy Moses, managing director of sector insight consultancy KAM, explains how hospitality can help people live fuller and healthier lives. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. A new Premium Unlimited Plus option, which costs £1,995 plus VAT per annum, has some amazing additional benefits including four free tickets to Propel’s paid-for conferences – Excellence in Pub & Bar (19 May), Operational Excellence (9 July) and Talent & Training (15 October) – and the opportunity to run one free sponsored message or situation vacant notice during the year on the newsletter. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Foodservice inflation dipped slightly in February, but geopolitical risks loom large: Food and drink prices in the foodservice sector recorded a minor month-on-month decline of -0.2% in February, the latest Foodservice Price Index from NIQ and Prestige Purchasing reveals. Downward movement in February was driven by significant cooling in major categories including milk, cheese and eggs, where prices fell month-on-month after improved European milk availability and softer demand for cheese. The oils and fats category also continued to moderate, while coffee, tea and cocoa prices were reduced by the unwinding of extreme cocoa price inflation, as global supply expectations and market surpluses rose. Other categories, including mineral water, soft drinks and juices and meat and poultry, remained broadly flat in February. Stable packaging costs and softer global sugar inputs helped to offset any significant upward movement in beverage prices, while the meat sector balanced tight domestic beef availability against softer global pork values. However, short-term relief in inflation is heavily overshadowed by the escalating global geopolitical situation. The recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a sharp rise in crude oil prices, generating significant concern for future inflation. The sudden spike in energy costs threatens to rapidly drive up costs of manufacturing, packaging and distribution across the entire supply chain, potentially reversing the recent easing of prices. More upward pressures remain elsewhere in the basket. Prices in the bread and cereal category rose as global wheat markets reacted to frost damage and winterkill risks across parts of Europe and the US. Fresh produce also remained challenged, with vegetables ticking up due to crop-transition gaps in key growing regions like Spain and Morocco, while the fish category inflated as strict Barents Sea cod quotas kept whitefish prices at historic highs. Reuben Pullan, senior insight consultant at NIQ, added: “The recent easing of food and drink prices has been a rare and welcome cause for optimism. However, that optimism is being tempered by heightened geopolitical uncertainty and the knock-on impact of higher energy-driven inputs.”

Mark Angela to step down from SSP after 14 years with the business: Mark Angela, formerly of PizzaExpress and Greene King, is to step down from SSP after 14 years working for the operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide, including as chief executive of its UK & Ireland business. Angela, the former chief executive of PizzaExpress and ex-managing director of managed pubs at Greene King, is retiring from full-time work, but will continue to support SSP in a part-time consulting capacity. During his time at SSP, he has been chief executive of its UK & Ireland arm. There, he led a transformation of the business and reset the strategy around people, service and innovation to set the foundation for a future doubling of SSP UK profits, at the same time as salvaging some key relationships such as Network Rail and Manchester. He moved on to be chief executive of SSP’s East Europe & Middle East business before moving to Hong Kong to lead its Asia-Pacific division. He has most recently been the company’s chief business development and strategy officer. 

AI-driven customer experience and performance management platform Serve First secures £5m follow-on funding to accelerate growth: Serve First, the artificial intelligence (AI)-driven customer experience and performance management platform, has secured £5m in new funding from Pembroke VCT and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, through fund manager Mercia Ventures. Both firms first invested in June 2025 as part of a £4.5m funding round. Since this initial investment, Serve First has almost doubled its annual recurring revenue to more than £2m and expanded into Europe. Launched in 2023, Serve First’s AI-powered platform collects and analyses customer feedback from in-store surveys, online reviews and mystery shopping that is translated into actions for teams. The latest funding will be used to strengthen Serve First’s sales and marketing function, including the imminent appointment of a chief revenue officer, and will also support continued product development, including further investment in AI capabilities. Serve First was established by founder and chief executive Erol Ayvaz, who has more than 20 years’ experience in technology and customer experience, including roles at Asana and Market Force Information.

Sir Tim Martin – the app is here to stay: Sir Tim Martin, founder and chairman of JD Wetherspoon, has moved to clarify comments around the future usage of QR codes in the business and made it clear “the app is here to stay”. In a Sun article earlier this week, it was stated that Sir Tim “bemoaned the rise of QR codes” and that “he may even decide to call time on the use of technology in the future”. The company said that in response to a customer letter in Wetherspoon News, which criticised the use of the app (in effect, the QR code), Sir Tim joked that he agreed with the customer since app users are unable to “[shoot] the breeze with the bar team, impressing them with, witty observations”. The business said: “The Sun story has no basis in fact and has, unfortunately, created anxiety among dedicated app-users. Sir Tim has made it clear that the app is here to stay.” Sir Tim added: “The journalist undoubtedly had a rush of blood to the head and struggled to understand my deft sense of humour. The app is very popular, and Wetherspoon never had any intention of curbing its use.”

 

Rosa’s Thai swaps discounts for ‘destination dining’ with chance to win five-night stay in Thailand: Rosa’s Thai, the TriSpan-backed business, is swapping discounts for “destination dining” by offering guests the chance to win a five-night stay in Thailand. As part of its celebration of Songkran (Thai New Year), the brand has partnered with Singha Beer to offer diners the chance to experience the festival first-hand. Guests who book a table and dine at any Rosa’s restaurant nationwide this month will be entered into a prize draw to win return flights to Thailand, a five-night stay in Bangkok and an insider guide to the city. Every restaurant visit counts as a new entry. Rosa’s Thai is also introducing two new limited-edition dishes for the period, “inspired by traditional flavours and symbolism associated with the celebration”. Larb Gai is a minced chicken salad with chilli, lime, fresh herbs and toasted rice, finished with crispy shallots, while pineapple fried rice brings together stir-fried jasmine rice, vegetables and sweet pineapple, all gently spiced with turmeric.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a multi-site catering services operator that is seeking a head of catering operations. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “With responsibility for a £20m-plus operational budget, this is a key leadership role focused on driving performance, growth and service excellence. The role will lead the strategic and operational delivery of catering services across more than 80 sites, while driving business development and growth through new contracts and service expansion.” The salary is up to £68,000, and the position is based in London. For more information, email dan@corecruitment.com

 

Maslow’s founder – ‘we’re looking to create a global network of hospitality driven workspaces in iconic locations’: Guy Ivesha, founder and chief executive of Maslow’s, the members’ club provider, has said the business is looking to create a “global network of hospitality driven workspaces in iconic locations” and has been approached to open sites in the Middle East. The company will open its third club next month – a new 30,000 square-foot members’ house at AshbyCapital’s Kensington Building in Kensington High Street in London. Maslow’s also operates Mortimer House and 1 Warwick in the capital. Speaking at the Propel Multi-Club Conference, Ivesha said: “We're looking to really create a global network of hospitality driven workspaces in iconic locations. We're looking for partners in these local markets to help us grow in some obvious markets. We’re looking at Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, Munich, Berlin, Milan and Rome, and obviously the Middle East has a very strong proposition for our business. We’ve been approached by a number of major real estate owners and sovereign funds to take Maslow’s to the Middle East, which we’re very excited about.” As part of the Kensington site, the business will launch Oria – a well-being-led café. Situated on the ground floor of The Kensington Building, Ivesha said Oria marks a natural evolution for Maslow's, whose members “prioritise their well-being by carving out an average of one hour each day for activities that support their physical and mental health”. Ivesha was among the speakers at the Propel Multi-Club Conference. All videos from the conference will be released to Premium subscribers today (Friday, 10 April), at 9am. Premium subscribers receive all the videos from Propel conferences each year – around 100 in total. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. A new Premium Unlimited Plus option, which costs £1,995 plus VAT per annum, has some amazing additional benefits including four free tickets to Propel’s paid-for conferences – Excellence in Pub & Bar (19 May), Operational Excellence (9 July) and Talent & Training (15 October) – and the opportunity to run one free sponsored message or situation vacant notice during the year on the newsletter. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

YO! owner Wonderfield Group promotes Carl Webber to MD UK & Ireland: Wonderfield Group, formerly Snowfox Group – the multi-channel and international Japanese food business that owns brands including Panku, Bento, Taiko and YO! – has promoted Carl Webber to managing director UK & Ireland. Webber joined the business in summer 2023 as its retail director. Webber, formerly of PizzaExpress and JD Wetherspoon, was promoted to chief operating officer in spring 2024. He spent nearly a decade at PizzaExpress, including the last eight years as a regional operations director. He also previously spent more than eight years at Wetherspoon, including five years as a regional operations director. Last December, Propel revealed Richard Hodgson had stepped down as chief executive of Wonderfield Group after the company made changes to its management structure. Alongside Hodgson, chief financial officer Tim Everitt, chief development officer Christian Haas and David Hampton, managing director Europe, also left the business as a result of the new management structure. At the same time, Will Human was appointed as chief executive for UK & Europe. Human joined the business in 2022 and had been overseeing the UK business over the previous two years.

 

TGI Fridays UK owner warns Iran war could slow work to lower prices, ‘strong desire’ to bring brand back to London: Ray Blanchette, the owner of TGI Fridays UK, has said the Iran war could slow his work to lower prices at the business and said he has a “strong desire” to bring the brand back to London. Blanchette’s Sugarloaf investment firm acquired 33 of TGI Fridays’ restaurants across the UK in January, safeguarding 1,384 jobs. He told The Metro: “There’s enough left to work with here that I think not only is it saveable, but it deserves to be saved.” Blanchette said he has concerns about the tax landscape in the UK, where business rates, employment rights and minimum wage changes risk piling extra costs on hospitality. Depending on the length of the blockage to the Strait of Hormuz, the Iran war could slow Blanchette’s work to lower prices at TGI Fridays’ UK branches, he said. He also said the government’s minimum wage hikes are a particular cause for concern. In the US, he has been lobbying for a lower-rate entry-level wage to allow younger people into hospitality jobs, which he said would account for the cost to employers of training people in their first roles. “You’d have a lot more people getting access to work at an earlier age if governments lowered employment costs on hospitality and retail firms,” he said. He added that his first task is to restore quality and value. This takes place both on the menu – where the brand has introduced a £12.49 starter, main and drink combo – and in the kitchen. Of the 33 restaurants acquired in the takeover, 31 are on a “solid footing” with supportive landlords, Blanchette said, though he could not rule out the closure of the remaining two. While he is keen to expand, Blanchette is forcing himself to be patient. He said: “It really sticks in my craw that we have no restaurants in London. I grew up with Covent Garden and Piccadilly and then later in Leicester Square, so I have a strong desire to get back to London, but I’ll be patient.”

 

Nigerian restaurant brand Enish plans US and African launch, lines up Midlands debut: Nigerian restaurant brand Enish is planning a launch in the US and Africa. The company has lined up openings in Houston, Texas; Nairobi, Egypt; and in Accra, Ghana. Enish currently operates an overseas site in Dubai. The business, which opened its first site in Lewisham, south east London, in 2013, is also set to make its debut in the Midlands, in Birmingham. The company has been linked to the ex-Purnell's site in the city’s Cornwall Street. The business, which operates ten sites in the south east, launched its first site outside the region, in Manchester in 2024. Enish made its debut in Scotland, in Glasgow, last year, and most recently opened a site in London’s Camden, its 13th in the UK. Enish said: “Our chefs expertly prepare traditional favourites like jollof rice, egusi soup and all your favourite dishes. At Enish, we’re passionate about sharing the rich culinary traditions of Nigeria with the world.” 

 

Sandwich Sandwich makes transport hub debut: Sandwich Sandwich, which was founded in Bristol in 2012, has made its transport hub debut with a grab-and-go site opening in London’s Paddington station. The business has taken over the ex-Lola Cupcakes site at the station for a six-month pop-up. It is Sandwich Sandwich’s first in a pop-up format, which it said proved “just how versatile and scalable the concept is”. The company now operates five sites in London and two in Bristol, after it also opened its first grab-and-go site last month, in Broadgate Central. Josh Kleiner, head of operations at Sandwich Sandwich, said: “We’re open in Paddington station, and it feels like the ultimate full circle moment. This is the station that connects Bristol (the heart and soul of this business) to London, and it makes the whole ordeal incredibly emotional for me – especially because it will constantly remind me how much train tickets are. We’ve been trying to open a shop inside a train station for as long as I can remember, and if you know hospitality, stations are incredibly hard to get into. It’s all a bit mental. It only took three days to build, but it’s such a cute little space. We were limited with what we could do with it because we’re only here for six months (hopefully more) – there’s a load of red tape when it comes to design, and there’s only enough electricity to plug in a domestic toaster. It’s a little baby Sandwich Sandwich and I love it.” In February, founder Nick Kleiner told Propel the new grab-and-go format could be a game changer for the brand.

 

Costa Coffee to invest £3.5m across London this year: Costa Coffee is to invest £3.5m across London this year on new openings and refurbishments. The business has a pipeline of up to seven new sites to open in the capital in 2026 and also plans to refurbish more than ten existing locations. The investment has started with the opening of the brand’s newest site in the capital, in Aldersgate Street, in the City. Opening in a former bank building, the site features self-service digital kiosks and click-and-collect via the Costa Club App. “Opening our new Aldersgate Street store is an exciting milestone as we continue to grow our presence in London,” said Luke Shaughnessy, regional operations director for London and south east at Costa Coffee.

 

Former McDonald’s UK COO’s franchise operation makes a loss and sees turnover fall as rising costs bite: Fortress Operations, the franchise operation founded by former McDonald’s UK chief operating officer Richard Forte, made a loss in the year to 31 March 2025 and saw turnover fall as rising costs bit. The company, which opened its 32nd restaurant across the Home Counties in November – in Wokingham’s Bridge Retail Park – saw a pre-tax profit of £2,647,568 in 2024 turn into a loss of £2,130,463. The 2024 figure included insurance income of £1,509,585, compared with £166,382 in 2025. Turnover fell from a record £142,003,836 in 2024 to £138,299,679. Dividends of £623,750 were paid (2024: £466,667). Forte, who became a McDonald’s franchisee in 2016, said: “Turnover for the year fell slightly by 2.6%, with a fall in gross profit of 4.6% compared with the previous year. In common with many other similar businesses and industries, fuel and utility costs and other overheads also increased considerably, resulting in a net loss before taxation of £2,130,463 for the year, compared with a profit of £2,647,568 in the previous year. The directors believe the trading environment in which the company operates will continue to be challenging but remain optimistic regarding future trading and are committed to continuing the company’s reinvestment programme.” Forte started out with McDonald’s more than 30 years ago, as trainee manager to the director of operations, before spending eight years as its chief operations officer and senior vice-president UK & northern Europe.

 

Interactive shooting simulation concept Point Blank ceases trading: Interactive shooting simulation concept Point Blank has ceased trading, closing its three remaining sites and being placed into liquidation. The business opened its first site in Chill Factore, in Manchester’s Trafford Park, in April 2019 before moving to a site in Deansgate. The company went on to launch sites in Leeds, Newcastle and Liverpool. The latter site closed last year and has since been taken on by Flat Iron. The Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester sites have now been shuttered. Point Blank said the “unforeseen” situation was sparked by the loss of the Manchester venue lease following its landlord entering administration. Point Blank said: “Despite every effort made to continue operating the venue, the company responsible for Point Blank Manchester has entered into liquidation. An independent licensed insolvency practitioner has been appointed to manage the company's affairs and oversee the formal winding up of the business. As a result, the venue is now permanently closed and the team is no longer able to access company systems, process bookings or respond to enquiries. We understand this will be disappointing news, particularly for guests who may have had upcoming bookings or outstanding balances. All matters relating to potential claims, refunds or creditor enquiries must now be directed to the appointed liquidator once their details become available. This outcome was not the one we hoped for and the decision to place the company into liquidation was not taken lightly.”

Spain-based urban hostel concept to enter UK market as part of a €330m-€420m investment programme for Europe: Spain-based urban hostel concept Room00 Next Gen is to enter the UK market as part of a €330m-€420m investment programme for Europe. The company, founded in 2012 in Madrid, currently has 3,000 rooms across 67 venues and is set to expand its footprint by 20 properties and 1,421 rooms across Europe. This will includie five London properties across Bloomsbury, Paddington, St Paul’s and Victoria, representing €50m-€80m of planned investment and around 220 rooms. Room00 said 80% of the planned investment will go into the acquisition and repositioning of operating hotels and hostels, with the remaining 20% allocated to strategic developments in prime urban locations. The company added that around 80% of the total investment is already in advanced stages of execution, while roughly 30% of the pipeline has already been secured. The London move comes after King Street committed up to €400m in equity to Room00 in 2025 to support its pan-European expansion. At that stage, the company said it was targeting 200 sites and 15,000 rooms over the next four years. Its portfolio includes the brands Room00 Hostels, TOC Hostels, Room Select Hotels and LETOH.

 

Lane7 secures 30th site with new Exeter venue: Boutique bowling company Lane7 has secured its 30th site, with a new venue set to open in Exeter, Devon, in early 2027. The new location, in the city's Guildhall shopping centre, comprises 27,000 square feet across two floors. Managing director Gavin Hughes, said: “We’ve been desperate to open in Exeter for some time, so we’re thrilled to have secured an expansive two-floor site in the heart of a buzzing city centre in the south west of England. It’s a competitive market, but Exonians know how to have a good time, and we’re confident we're bringing a distinctive, unique and premium experience to the city’s entertainment and night-time scene.” The group, which also owns the LevelX, Gutterball and ML7 concepts that have a combined 12 sites across the UK, recently announced plans for further expansion with upcoming cross-brand site openings in Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Last month, the business strengthened its senior leadership team by hiring Nicola Romeo as commercial director and Louise Routledge as marketing director.

 

Ex-Crussh CEO joins Kung Fu Mama as non-executive director: Chris Fung, former chief executive of Crussh, the healthy food and juice brand, has joined Taiwanese noodle bar concept Kung Fu Mama, as a non-executive director. Fung left Crussh in 2016 after 12 years with the business, in which time he grew the brand to 25 sites across London. Since then, he has been a non-executive director, board advisor and investor in a number of disruptive high-growth potential food/food technology and education technology businesses. Noam Bar-Chang, co-founder of London restaurant and deli operator Ottolenghi, last month opened a second site for Kung Fu Mama, in Canary Wharf. He partnered with Chris Hsu, who is behind Taiwanese noodle brand Kung Fu Mama Retail, to open a site in Jubilee Place. Dishes include noodle bowls and bao sandwiches alongside sides such as mixed greens and wood-ear mushroom salad. In January, Bar-Chang told Propel that the brand was poised for further expansion after the opening in Canary Wharf “thanks to a simple and robust operating model”.

 

Ole & Steen launches with Ocado: Danish bakery brand Ole & Steen is expanding its UK presence with a nationwide launch with Ocado, which will see its products available to customers across the country for the first time. Ole & Steen said through the partnership, more than 1.2 million Ocado shoppers will have access to a curated selection of the brand’s most popular products, from “signature sourdough loaves and traditional rye bread to its much-loved Cinnamon Social”. Ole & Steen, which operates 26 sites across the UK, said the launch marked “a significant step in our growing omnichannel strategy, designed to meet customers wherever they are, while staying true to our Danish heritage”. Graham Hollinshead, UK managing director of Ole & Steen, said: “Our stores will always be the heart of what we do, but we know there are people across the country who want access to authentic Danish baking and haven’t had an easy way to get it. Partnering with Ocado means customers across the country can add our sourdough, pastries and cinnamon socials to their weekly shop. It is a natural next step in how we are growing the brand here, and it reflects the incredible demand we have seen beyond our store doors.” In February, Propel reported Danish Bake, the parent company of Danish bakery group Lagkagehuset, which owns the Ole & Steen brand, had hired advisors to review its options for the business, which could include a sale. The business was set to begin working with advisors FIH Partners on its options.

 

Mowgli hires Owen Fenwick as new commercial director: Mowgli, the Lucy Worth-led, TriSpan-backed business, has hired Owen Fenwick, formerly of better burger brand Byron and PizzaExpress, as its new commercial director, Propel has learned. Fenwick joins the 26-strong Mowgli after 13 and a half years at Byron, including the past four and a half years as its operations director. Before that, he spent ten years at PizzaExpress. Fenwick’s appointment comes with Tom Hatcher, who joined Mowgli last summer as its business development director, leaving. Hatcher, who spent nine and a half years at PizzaExpress, including 14 months as the brand’s strategic projects director, was hired on a fixed term basis to support Mowgli’s first steps into the delivery market. Mowgli subsequently made its first venture into delivery through an exclusive national partnership with Uber Eats last September. 

 

Farmer J to open in London’s The Strand: Farmer J, the all-day market concept, is set to add to its presence in Central London with an opening in The Strand. The Jonathan Recanati-led company is to open on the former Yolk site, which closed last year. Farmer J, which made its international debut in January with an opening in New York, currently operates 18 sites across London. In February, Recanati revised his thinking on how big the business could eventually grow to – saying “50 (sites) feels small now”. He had previously said the vision for the business was to hit a “minimum of 50 sites in the UK”. Last year, the company, which saw turnover near the £28m mark in 2024, secured $23m (£17.5m) of new funding to aid its further growth.

 

Ever So Sensible targeting further growth after opening tenth site: East Midlands independent restaurant group Ever So Sensible is targeting further growth after opening its tenth site. The company has relaunched The George in Langworth, Lincolnshire, following a £200,000 refurbishment of the historic 18th-century village pub that it acquired in October last year. The 100-cover site has been repositioned as a premium, food-led destination, with original features including the fireplace and stonework restored, alongside upgraded internal finishes and improved external trading areas. The business said the site is trading well ahead of expectations since reopening, with strong early demand and positive customer feedback. The investment represents phase one of a wider development plan, with proposals in place for a further 70-cover restaurant extension to drive additional capacity and growth. Ever So Sensible operates a mix of tied and free-of-tie sites and has funding in place as it seeks further acquisition opportunities across Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. The company told Propel that trading in 2026 had been “good” in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire but “tougher” in Leicester city centre. Ever So Sensible was awarded Investors in People Platinum accreditation last year.

 

Admo Lifestyle Holding confirms Nammos opening in London’s Mayfair, first in a planned series of global city openings: Mediterranean restaurant brand Nammos, which is part of Admo Lifestyle Holding, has confirmed it will make its London debut next month, in Mayfair. Propel revealed in the summer of 2024 that Nammos, which was founded in 2003 on Psarou Beach, Mykonos, would be opening at the former Il Borro Tuscan Bistro site at 15 Berkeley Street in Mayfair. Admo said the launch marks a “deliberate evolution for the brand, moving beyond its beach club origins and further developing its urban dining model”. The company said London is the first in a planned series of global city openings, signalling the next stage of growth for the group as it expands its footprint beyond resort and coastal destinations. Nammos currently operates in Mykonos, Dubai, Cannes, Sardinia and Limassol, with further metropolitan locations in development.

 

Leeds retailer launches all-day dining concept: Leeds retailer Abu Bakr Supermarket is launching a new all-day dining concept called Aura in the Roundhay area of the city. This venture is part of the five-strong supermarket company’s broader expansion strategy in Leeds, which includes opening additional stores and introducing new food concepts. Managing director Hamza Hussain said the concept reflects changing customer habits and the growing demand for more immersive dining experiences. He said: “Leeds has always supported our growth, and we are excited to bring something new to Roundhay. The idea behind Aura was to create something that feels like a real vibe — somewhere people can come to enjoy breakfast, brunch, grilled food and desserts, all in one place, and spend time with friends in a stylish environment. Behind the scenes, there is a huge amount of work taking place as we prepare to unveil several additional stores and new concepts.”

 

Bakery and restaurant concept Jolene to open fifth site: Jolene, the restaurant and bakery concept from Jeremie Cometto-Lingenehim and David Gingell, is to open its fifth site this month, in London’s Soho. Jolene Bridle Lane, a bakery and coffee shop, will open on Thursday, 23 April in non-gendered, luxury streetwear brand The Aries’ flagship store, which comprises 4,000 square feet of space over two floors. Cometto-Lingenehim and Gingell, who are also behind London restaurants Primeur and Westerns Laundry, opened Jolene Newington Green, a bakery and restaurant in 2018, inspired by a trip to a friend’s farm in France where naturally resistant wheat was grown using regenerative methods. They have since opened three further bakeries in London – in Shoreditch, Islington and Hornsey.

 

Acai & The Tribe to open fifth site: Acai & The Tribe, the health-focused all-day eatery specialising in açai bowls and Amazon-sourced superfoods, is to open a fifth site this summer, in Leeds. The concept, which was founded in Manchester in 2021, by Alisha Jade Oswell, will open at 8 Vicar Lane in Leeds as part of the Vicar Lane regeneration scheme, which will also be home to new sites from Sticks‘n’Sushi and Dishoom. Last year, Açai & The Tribe opened its first store in London, a 1,327 square-foot site in Fulham Road. The business also operates sites in Leamington Spa and Altrincham. The concept serves premium, organic açai bowls and other health-focused food options such as smoothies, topped sourdough, sandwiches, toasted banana loaf and a range of hot and cold beverages.

 

London Italian-Japanese fusion restaurant Angelina set to open third site: London Italian-Japanese fusion restaurant Angelina is set to open a third site in the capital, at The Whiteley development in Queensway. Joshua Owens-Baigler and Amar Takhar opened the original Angelina at 56 Dalston Lane in 2019, which they followed with Omakase restaurant Dai Chi at 16a D’Arblay Street in Soho in 2022. While Dai Chi has since closed, the duo launched Osteria Angelina in the Nolton Folgate development by Shoreditch station last March. The new opening at The Whiteley will feature the first in-restaurant pottery workshop in the UK, and a pasta laboratory where consumers can watch chefs making the pasta they will be eating. In the company’s words, the new site will “explore the relationship between earth, fire and baking: milling our own flour, baking all bread on site, producing fresh pasta, and forming our own stoneware for use across the restaurant”.

 

Padel concept Padel + Play submits plans for third site: Padel concept Padel + Play has submitted plans for a third site. The company has earmarked Units 6-13 at Halesfield Point, located within the Halesfield Industrial Estate in Telford, for the project. Padel + Play is planning to create six courts, alongside changing room facilities, across the 2,957 square-foot space. Padel + Play currently has a club in Worcester, with a further site under construction in Stratford-upon-Avon. Padel + Play also has plans for clubs in Burntwood, Staffordshire and Hereford, subject to planning approval.

 

Former Gordon Ramsay alumni to open second restaurant: Former Gordon Ramsay alumni Nichola Thompson is to open a second restaurant in Nottingham. Thompson, who opened Table 47 on Bridlesmith Gate in May 2024, will launch Chapter 2 in the former Hubbe Bubble Bar in Pavilion Road, West Bridgford, at the end of April. Thompson told Insider Media: “Chapter 2 will be a destination restaurant and bar, with an emphasis on locally sourced quality food, sustainability and exclusivity, but with a twist. Our West Bridgford venue will be next level. We hope it will widen the appeal of a bespoke dining experience.” The venue will hold up to 200 people for events, or accommodate between 60 and 80 diners, and is expected to create up to 25 jobs. Plans are in place to organise themed nights, with a stage for live music, and like its sister venue, will host wine tastings and tasting menu events. Chapter 2 will also feature a basement venue, including an open kitchen, a wraparound bar and a cigar room.