Simon French – CMA ruling on Greene King's Spirit acquisition no worse than expected: Cenkos Leisure's analyst Simon French has called the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) ruling on Greene King's acquisition of Spirit "in line with expectations". French said: "The CMA's decision on the proposed acquisition of Spirit Pub Company is no worse than expected. Despite the headline appearing to point to a negative outcome, the detail suggests otherwise, with competition issues in only 16 of the circa 240 local justice areas. We would expect only a handful of pubs having to be disposed of in each area, thus total disposals of the enlarged group would likely be no more than 100, in line with consensus estimates and better than our expectation of 150-200. The groups have until 18 May to give assurances to the CMA that suitable undertakings can be made; if not the proposed acquisition faces a phase 2 inquiry. We expect suitable undertakings to be made, and therefore, despite recent lacklustre trading at Greene King, we reiterate our 'buy' recommendation, given the momentum in the Spirit business and the synergies available." Greene King and Spirit have agreed, with the consent of the panel, to extend the "long stop date" for completion of the acquisition from 31 May to 30 June.” Rooney Anand, Greene King's chief executive, said yesterday after the ruling: “This is a sensible decision by the CMA, reflecting a small number of local areas where competition may be diminished as a result of our acquisition of Spirit. We are confident we will be able to offer suitable undertakings, which will keep the number of pubs we need to sell to a minimum and allow the acquisition to complete before the end of June.” 

Industry News:

Scotch Whisky Association takes action against counterfeits in ten countries: The Scotch Whisky Association has taken action against "passing off" in ten countries to protect the £4bn a year Scotch industry. The association said proceedings were authorised against 19 different brands last year, in Belgium, China, Curacao, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Scotland. Scotch whisky is protected as a Geographical Indication (GI), meaning it can only be produced in Scotland, according to UK rules. The association's director of legal affairs, Magnus Cormack, said the SWA currently has 60 to 70 active legal cases in 30 different countries, as well as about 300 trademark oppositions in upwards of 20 countries. Cormack said issues ranged from simple fraud, passing off drinks as Scotch whisky when they are not, to subtle attempts to dress up products to look like Scotch.
 
Coventry witnesses foodservice boom: Coventry is experiencing an explosion of foodservice outlets, with 124 new restaurants and take-aways opening across the city in the past 12 months. The city saw 59 new restaurants opening, up by a fifth from the same 12 months in 2013-2014, when 49 new restaurants opened. The number of new takeaways opening was up 44%, with 65 new takeaways opened and registered in the 12 months, against just 45 in the same period in  2013-2014. The numbers were revealed through a Freedom of Information request for food premises registered with Coventry Council. Coventry's Cathedral Lanes restaurant and bar quarter, due to open by late summer, will see Wagamama, the Cosy Club and Las Iguanas come to the city for the first time.
 
The Grocer – Waitrose is clamping down on free coffee: Waitrose is clamping down on its "free coffee for customers" offer after it emerged that shoppers were abusing the system and picking up cups for their friends. The offer has upset independent coffee shop owners, who have claimed they have lost business. According to The Grocer magazine, Waitrose has reportedly lost £150,000 under the scheme, which allows myWaitrose loyalty cardholders to take a free coffee or cup of tea when making a purchase. In some stores, shoppers are being told they have to queue at customer services to register their purchases before filling their cups at self-service machines. The clampdown comes after it emerged some customers have been going into stores and getting the free coffee for their friends.
 
Tenanted pubco scourge Greg Mulholland rules himself out of Lib Dem leadership contest: Greg Mulholland, the MP for Leeds North West, who has campaigned against tenanted pub companies for the past six years, has ruled himself out of running for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats despite being one of only eight of the party's candidates to be elected as an MP last Thursday. Mulholland, who won with a 9,103 majority in 2010, received 15,948 votes, this time while Labour secured 13,041, with the Conservative candidate taking third place with 8,083. Of the Lib Dems' devastating election result, Mulholland said: "We knew we had to [form a coalition] in the interests of the country, and we knew it would be damaging, and some of my colleagues knew they would probably lose their jobs. But you don't get into politics for self-interest, you do it to try to do the right thing for the country."
 
Intu submits planning application for new dining quarter in Milton Keynes: Intu has submitted a planning application to create a new dining quarter at its site in Milton Keynes. Martin Breeden, regional director of Intu, said: “Oak Court and the boulevard are busy thoroughfares but not great pieces of public space. These proposals will create outstanding areas overlooked by prime, flagship retail stores and the best catering quarter in Milton Keynes.” The transformation of the 430,000 sq ft shopping centre by a further 100,000 sq ft has been called one of the most significant retail and leisure development projects that Central Milton Keynes has seen in over a decade. A new dining quarter, over two levels, will deliver a choice of places to eat. The development will also have a five-screen "boutique" cinema with a "quality" food offer.
 
Starbucks introduces the mini frappuccino: Starbucks in the United  States has responded to customer requests by launching a smaller version of its frappuccino. Customers have made more than 6,000 suggestions regarding the beverage on the feedback site My Starbucks Idea. Most customers offered ideas for new flavour combinations, but many have been asking for a smaller drink size. Starbucks has now the mini-frappuccino nationally. A 10oz (300ml) serving size will be available from 11 May to 6 July. The launch comes after a test in select US markets last summer. Customers will be able to order all flavours of frappuccino in the mini serving size. Starbucks launched the frappuccino 20 years ago.

Rising cost of healthy diet fuels obesity crisis: The rising price of fruit and vegetables is stoking the obesity crisis, as people struggle to afford a healthy diet, experts have warned. A study has found that the cost of eating healthy foods has almost doubled while the cost of high-calorie processed foods has fallen. The findings have prompted renewed calls for drastic action, such as the introduction of taxes on junk food, to help stem a rising tide of obesity and obesity-related diseases. Researchers have urged the government to introduce VAT on unhealthy foods, and use the proceeds raised to subsidise fruit and vegetables. The move, they say, would save thousands of lives lost each year to weight-related illnesses. A new study by the Overseas Development Institute has found that over the past 20 to 30 years, the price of fruit and vegetables has soared while the cost of high-calorie processed foods has fallen. In the UK, from 1980 to 2012, the price of an ice cream halved, while the price of fresh green vegetables trebled. Institute researcher Steve Wiggins said: "As a healthy diet becomes more expensive and a less-healthy diet becomes cheaper, this may help explain why, we believe, in many countries our diets are becoming worse. It explains rising obesity rates, rates of obesity-related diseases and premature death."

Company News:

Giggling Squid information memorandum due to be published end of this month: An information memorandum on the Giggling Squid business is due to be published at the end of this month. The company has engaged Grant Thornton to run a process seeking investment, and Propel understands that interest has already been registered by a number of trade buyers and private equity players, with a couple of the trade buyers based in Thailand. Meanwhile, Giggling Squid has hired Peter Morrison as its new operations director. He previously worked as operations director for Prezzo's Chimichanga brand. The company has also unveiled the third of a three-suite acquisition from Prezzo. A Chimichanga in Bath and a Cleaver site in Billericay have already been announced. The third former Prezzo site is a Chimichanga in Bury St Edmunds, near the cathedral in Abbeygate Street. The latest acquisition takes the group’s portfolio to 15 sites. Giggling Squid, which introduced the “Thai tapas” dining concept to the UK in 2009, is on course to have a nationwide string of 50 to 70 UK restaurants within five to seven  years. It is already in advanced legal negotiations to acquire six more sites, five in the Home Counties and one in the Midlands. After a £150,000 refurbishment, Giggling Squid expects to open its new 100-cover restaurant in Bury St Edmunds in the autumn, creating 25 new jobs. The next Giggling Squid opening is expected to be in Guildford at the end of June. Current run rate Ebitda at Giggling Squid has hit £2m.

Stonegate chairman – Wetherspoon’s copyright infringement claim is poppycock: Stonegate Pub Company chairman Ian Payne has dismissed as “an absolute load of poppycock” a claim by Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin that the company is infringing Wetherspoon’s trademark by running a ‘beer and burger’ promotion at its Scream bars. Payne said ‘beer and burger’ had been in use at Scream long before the company acquired it from Mitchells & Butlers in 2010 and that the name is too generic to trademark. He also denied Martin’s claim that the company has stopped using the term after a legal letter from Wetherspoon. Yesterday, Martin also accused Whitbread, Mitchells & Butler and Greene King of infringing the company’s trademarked food club names. He said: “I was gobsmacked the other day to walk past a Greene King pub, which is the nearest pub to my house, to discover that they are now running a ‘Fish Friday’. This was a name invented by Wetherspoon employees at a meeting I attended and the same is true of all the other offers which are protected by trademarks.”

 
The Ivy to re-open on 1 June: The iconic London restaurant The Ivy in Covent Gardens is to re-open on 1 June after closing at the start of the year for a refurbishment. The Handbook said: "They’ve kept the features that it was most renowned for; the wood panelling, harlequin stained glass and art work by British artists, but brought it up to date with modern additions. So you’ll find new curved banquettes, four-seat booths, more corner tables for late-night intimate dining, and the stained glass windows have been updated with the addition of silver mirrored panels. Joining Peter Blake, Eduardo Paolozzi and Barry Flanagan’s artwork will be pieces by Maggi Hambling, Ian Davenport and Damien Hirst. The centre of the room is home to a dining bar that mirrors the triangular shape of the restaurant and will have space for 20 diners, who will perch on bespoke pink leather and mohair bar stools; while upstairs the first floor will be able to host 60 people for private dining."
 
Nourish expands into Leeds: The healthy food restaurant Nourish has moved into Leeds after letting a new site on Bond Street, creating 20 new jobs. The firm, founded by nutritionist and personal trainer David Stache, has agreed a 10-year lease for the 2,536 sq ft property, at £100,000 a year. Nourish first opened in Sheffield in October 2013. Stache said: "We chose to expand in to Leeds because I studied in Leeds and lived in the city for nine years. It is very much a home from home for myself, and with the growth in the food retail sector the city has seen in recent years it feels a really good match for Nourish. With such a wide variety of food outlets, we feel our concept and approach will bring something different to the city. Our focus is also on public health and improving knowledge through education and engagement around food, nutrition and health. So we are looking forward to adding to the already knowledgeable local organisations helping people live healthier lives in Leeds."
 
Byron lines up Newcastle opening: The "better burger" brand Byron has submitted plans to build an outlet in Newcastle upon Tyne. It has 51 outlets in the UK, 37 in London, with the closest to Newcastle at present being in York. The chain is to open in the building next to Grey’s Monument which was previously the home of the fashion store H&M, which closed its doors last month. Byron’s founder, Tom Byng, said: “Newcastle is a fantastic city and we are really keen to open there."
 
Spirit bosses take Flaming Grill menu challenge to mark new menu launch: Spirit Pub Company’s executive management team has taken its Flaming Grill brand's latest and hottest menu challenge, fire extinguisher chilli wings, to mark the launch of the brand’s new menu. The 24 chicken wings, which are presented in a fire extinguisher-like container, are the brand's hottest to date, with a mixture of mouth-numbing chillies such as birds eye red and naga bhut jolokia. The three members of the chain's executive management, chief executive Mike Tye, chief operating officer Alan Morgan and human resources director Debbie Moore, took on the challenge in front of an audience at Spirit’s Burton-based Support Centre. Tye said: “We couldn’t miss out on an opportunity to help celebrate the launch of Flaming Grill’s new menu with the support centre team. The wings are a fantastic, if not fiery, addition to the challenge range and definitely not one for the faint-hearted – my lips are still burning!” Joining the wings on the new menu, available in all 140 pubs from today (Tuesday 12 May), will be a chicken waffle burger, consisting of a breaded chicken burger served between two sweet waffles, a flaming baked Alaska for two and char sui pork noodles. Michelle Fisher, brand manager for Flaming Grill, said: “We’re really proud of the new menu; not only have we expanded our challenge range but, following the success of the doughnut burger, we’ve once again had some fun mixing sweet and savoury to create the new chicken waffle burger, one that is sure to be either loved or hated.”
 
Oakman Inns to open first Greene King pub next month: Oakman Inns and Restaurants, led by Peter Borg-Neal, will open its first Greene King pub next month on 5 June. The Navigation Inn, on the Grand Union Canal in Cosgrove, Northamptonshire will be re-opening after a £1.5m refurbishment. The project included exposing original stonework, re-instating previously blocked-up fireplaces, and building a new extension incorporating a large outdoor decked viewing platform and an extended restaurant area overlooking the new gardens.
 
Hummus Bros hits halfway mark in £250,000 crowdfunding campaign: Hummus Bros, the London-based hummus restaurant chain, has hit the half-way mark in a crowdfunding campaign to raise £250,000 in return for 4.35% of its equity through the Seedrs crowdfunding platform. The campaign only launched last week and has 52 days to go. The fundraising will enable Hummus Bros to open two new high street outlets and continue the expansion of its network of pop-ups, which it has introduced in corporate restaurants in the City of London, including at the offices of Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. Hummus Bros, founded by Christian Mouysset and Ronen Givon in August 2005, now serves close to 10,000 meals a week. In April Hummus Bros beat a £150,000 target to raise through an 8% interest-paying mini-bond on the crowdfunding platform Crowd2Fund. A total of 53 investors pledged £174,102. The bond term is 60 months.
 
Chatime to open 12th site this month: Chatime, which offers "authentic, refreshing and delicious Taiwanese bubble teas", is to open its 12th UK store, this time in Manchester, on 21 May. The opening will be at 93 Princess Street, in Manchester's Chinatown. The opening of the new store will see the launch of what Chatime said was an "innovative" boutique menu, with a selection for first-time buyers as well as classic favourites for customers already familiar with the brand. Peter Wong, founder of Chatime UK, said: “We’re thrilled to have secured a site in the heart of this great city and we can’t wait to welcome the people of Manchester in to try our delicious and varied selection of bubble teas.”
 
Good & Proper Tea launches crowdfunding campaign: Good & Proper Tea, the London-based premium tea specialist led by the former Unilever marketer Emilie Holmes, has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube, looking to raise £140,000 in return for 14.7% of its equity. The company was successfully funded on Kickstarter over two years ago, and is now looking to open its first dedicated Tea House, as well as a kiosk. The brand launched by selling from a mobile tea bar, a 1974 Citroen van, and a pop-up "Brew Bar", and also sells its range of teas and teaware both online at goodandpropertea.com and via a network of on and offline distributors. Sales in the prior 12 months were £100,000, with a loss of £13,500. They are forecast to rise to £5,481,000 in the year to May 2020 with Ebitda of £1,810,000.
 
Restaurant Group to close Hull Chiquito: The Restaurant Group is to close the branch of the Chiquito Mexican grill chain at Kingston Retail Park in Hull this Sunday, 17 May. A "to let" sign has already appeared on the building and notices are up inside the restaurant informing customers of its closure. Chiquito has anther outlet in Hull, at Kingswood Leisure Park, which is to remain open. A spokesman for the company told the Hull Daily Mail that the decision was made not to renew the lease on the Chiquito building at Kingston Retail Park this year. Up to 30 staff are believed to be employed at the restaurant. The spokesman said: "Staff are being offered relocation to other premises in the business. Chiquito is part of a much bigger group and chain that is growing so there will be opportunities for them." The news comes after the recent closure of a Starbucks branch in Hull, in King Edward Street.

Domino's Pizza defends human billboards in Derby: Domino's Pizza, which agreed earlier this year to stop to stop using "human billboards" in Nottingham after pressure from the local council, has defended itself for employing human billboards in neighbouring Derby. The chain said its employees "love being outdoors" and all of the workers were paid at or above the minimum wage. Readers of the Derby Telegraph have called the job degrading and asked the company to "consider its moral position as a large-scale UK employer" over whether the practice is considered as acceptable. But a spokesman for Domino's, which has outlets in Allestree, Alvaston, Chaddesden and Stenson Road, Derby, said: "Our wobble boarders' safety, security and wellbeing, along with those of the public, are a top priority for Domino's. All our wobble boarders should be aged 16 or over and are paid at or above the minimum wage. Our employees, along with some of our franchisees, love being outdoors and doing something different. When we do hire for these positions, we always have a great deal of interest from local people keen to earn extra money. We have carried out a full risk assessment on wobble boarding. For those who choose to get involved, we ensure they follow our recommendations on responsible wobble boarding, calling into the store at regular intervals, taking the appropriate breaks, keeping hydrated and, most importantly, staying safe. We've had really positive feedback from both wobble boarders and the public who say the sight of people dressed up in pizza costumes brightens their morning." On the Derby Telegraph's Facebook page, Rob Toone wrote: "If it pays a wage, what's the problem? I'd rather see 1,000 human billboards than 1,000 people sitting at home complaining they can't get a job."

Former River Cafe chef joins Camden Town Brewery pub: Former River Cafe chef Michael Lavery has been recruited to head the kitchen at Camden Town Brewery’s Horseshoe pub in Hampstead. Of his new menu, Lavery said: “It’s not something that has a concept: it’s just great food, in a pub. Come in for nibbles, come in for lunch, beer and bar snacks. It will be familiar, not complex, focusing on small producers. It doesn’t make sense to use strawberries from across the world in November – they’re expensive and don’t taste that amazing. I believe that cooking seasonally is the way to go, not for any romantic reasons, but for practicality to get the best tasting products.” Dishes include smoked sprats with horseradish, lamb kofte with harissa spices, and steak and fries. 
 
McDonald’s UK joins other burger firms in courting burger blogger: McDonald’s UK has followed the lead of its US parent company, where it regularly engages with bloggers, particularly “mommy bloggers”, and fellow British burger firms by courting a burger blogger. Simon Dukes, from Barbourne, Worcester, was invited by McDonald's to its headquarters to try out its new Great Tastes of America menu. Dukes, an influential video blogger, who runs the popular website Burger Lad, regularly posts reviews on YouTube of him taste-testing burgers, from big chain companies to small independents. He was invited to McDonald's UK head office to test six burgers in total and was allowed to directly review from its headquarters. Dukes said: "We had our own room and in there was all the new promotional material and we got to sample each of the new burgers. We reviewed the upcoming Miami Special and tried the new McShaker Fries, which is a first for the UK." Burger King has also invited Dukes to test taste its burgers while other companies such as Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Handmade Burger Co, Byron, TGI Friday’s, Frankie and Benny's and KFC have also made similar approaches, with vouchers and invites. Dukes said: "Just because we go to McDonald's head office doesn't [ensure] a good review. In fact, despite being accused of being a shill in some online communities, I get no income from McDonalds and they much prefer an honest review."

Caffe Nero in Cheltenham one of just three premises in Cheltenham given zero hygiene rating: A Caffe Nero site on the High Street in Cheltenham has become one of just three premises in the town to be given a zero rating by the local authority. The zero rating means urgent improvement is necessary. The others two premises given a zero rating are Kebab Pizza Burger and Winchcombe Food And Wine, in Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham.

Peyton & Byrne opens Lyric Bar and Grill: Peyton & Byrne has opened the Lyric Bar and Grill at the Lyric Hammersmith, West London and is offering 50% off during the opening week every day between 12 noon and 6pm. The company said the venue's menu "has been inspired by popular street food". It includes dishes such as beer-fed Dexter beef with watercress and blackened fillet of sea bass with chilli pickle. During the summer months the Lyric Roof Garden will be used for barbecues, with a seasonal food and drink menu including summer salads, gourmet burgers, grilled fish, summer cocktail jugs and craft beers and quality wine.

Cheltenham nightclub to become sports bar hybrid: A Cheltenham nightclub, V Club in Albion Street, is to become a late night and sports bar hybrid called Hidden after a £300,000 investment. Manager Mark Stancer said the rebranded venue will be unveiled on 30 May and the sports bar should be up and running by the end of June. The sports bar will be called HD Sports Bar and include around 20 televisions and two projectors, broadcasting a range of live sports. Hidden will still serve as a club after 10.30pm and Stancer said the sports bar will become a part of that from midnight. “A lot of sports bars close at about 12 but the beauty about this one is we carry on with the entertainment down here right through until two or three o’clock in the morning, so people can stay in,” he said. Sarah Muukua, who previously owned the Caribbean restaurant Mamma’s Kitchen, in Bennington Street, before its closure in April, will oversee food. The plan is to introduce a menu featuring sports-themed dishes with a Caribbean twist.
 
Starbucks pledges to stop sourcing water from drought-hit California: Starbucks has said it will stop sourcing water for its Ethos Water brand in California, which is in the fourth year of a serious drought that has prompted the state's first-ever mandatory cuts in water use. Beginning this month and over the next six months, Starbucks said, it plans to move production to its Pennsylvania supplier. The announcement comes a week after the magazine Mother Jones published a report showing that Ethos Water was sourced in areas deemed to be in "exceptional drought". Starbucks bought Ethos Brands for $8m in April 2005. It donates 5 cents for every bottle of water sold to the Ethos Water Fund, which is part of the Starbucks foundation. Starbucks says that so far, more than $12.3m has been granted to help support water, sanitation and hygiene education programmes in water-stressed countries in Africa, Indonesia and Latin America.
 
PizzaExpress takes control of UAE operation: PizzaExpress has taken control of its franchise operation in the UAE in its bid to expand in the region. At the moment, the pizzeria has six outlets across the country and will open a seventh this summer in Abu Dhabi’s World Trade Centre Mall. The new Abu Dhabi pizzeria will be a Jazz@PizzaExpress concept, building on its success in Dubai as a live music venue. Luke Davies, the managing director of PizzaExpress International, said: “This acquisition builds on our strategy to grow PizzaExpress into a truly global brand, and I’m delighted to bring our UAE operation into the core PizzaExpress estate. We plan to invest further in the UAE over the next five years as we double the number of PizzaExpress sites across the region.” About 19,000 extra food and beverage outlets are expected in the UAE by 2019, according to Euromonitor International. Mall of the Emirates is planning to add 12 food and beverage outlets this summer as part of the second phase of its Dh1bn (£175m) redevelopment project. Other pizza restaurants are also looking to grow their operations. Russo’s, the New York based-pizza company that has four outlets in the country, plans to open two more this year. Layal Chemaitelly, corporate marketing manager at Russo’s, said: “We are exceptionally proud of our achievements since bringing this brand to the UAE.  We have seen rapid expansion because there is such high demand for genuine Italian cuisine in the UAE. We are opening two new restaurants this year, one in The Greens in Dubai, and the other is hush-hush for the moment.”