Brasserie Blanc eyes growth following success of £3.5m rebrand: Rory Marthinusen, who is managing director of Brasserie Bar Co’s 18-strong Brasserie Blanc brand, has told Propel the company is in a perfect position for growth as its £3.5m rebranding process nears completion. Marthinusen said since the refurbishments began 20 months ago, Brasserie Blanc had seen a 7% increase in like-for-like sales across its rebranded sites and a move to widen its clientele had led to an 8% rise in customers aged 25 to 39. He added the company was already looking at new cities for openings. The renewed interest in expanding Brasserie Blanc comes after a period where the company has viewed its White Brasserie pub business as the key avenue of growth. He said: “After ten years the Brasserie Blanc brand was strong but we needed to take it through an evolution to keep the brand current and a big stepping stone for taking us forward. We’ve moved away from being a lunch and dinner venue to being an all-day venue. Our vision was to appeal to a wider audience, and what we set out to do has worked but we haven’t alienated our original clientele. A brasserie should cater for all.” The company is working on a former Greene King-owned Loch Fyne site in Knutsford, Cheshire, which will be the first Brasserie Blanc venue in north west England. Marthinusen added: “Going forward, we are looking at particular cities but nothing specific as yet. Knutsford shows we’ve got other regions besides the south to look at. Knutsford is a great town and I think we’ll do exceptionally well there.” A year ago, company founder Raymond Blanc said he wanted to grow the brand quietly, “only one new Brasserie Blanc a year”. Marthinusen said the vision had changed. “I think Raymond would speak differently about growth now,” Marthinusen added. “He is as excited as myself and (chief executive) Mark Derry at what we’ve done. We’re in a very strong position. The important thing is to find the right locations – we’re very particular about it. The past 20 months have been very exciting and we’d like to grow this business.” The company saw turnover increase 14% from £32.7m to £37.2m for the year ending 28 June 2015, according to accounts filed with Companies House. Pre-tax losses climbed from £34,514 to £2,434,182 while restaurant Ebitda increased 9% from £5.2m to £5.7m. In the annual accounts, chairman Ian Edward said: “The board took the decision to conduct a complete review of the Brasserie Blanc concept in the 2014/2015 financial period. We instructed external consultants to carry out a full brand audit, which acted as the catalyst to a complete rebranding and refurbishment of the entire brasserie estate.”

Further ten places added for Operators and Investors Dinner: A further ten places have been added for Propel’s annual Operators and Investors Dinner after the original allocation sold out yesterday. The event takes place on Monday, 6 June at the Banking Hall in London, starting at 7pm. Investors and banks booked to come include Risk Capital Partners, Piper Private Equity, Bowmark, Santander, Metro Bank, Alcuin Capital, Copper Street Capital, Barclays, Kings Park Capital, Marechale Capital, Business Growth Fund, Hutton Collins, Weight Partners, NatWest, Active Private Equity, Sapient Corporate Finance and Ice Capital Partners. Operators who have booked places include City Pub Company, Casual Dining Group, TLC Inns, Coaching Inn Group, Harris + Hoole, Chozen, Snug Bars, Oakman Inns and Restaurants, Porky’s, Drake & Morgan, Beds and Bars, Thai Leisure Group, Innventure, Yummy Pub Company, Dip & Flip, Chalk Valley Farm & Kitchen, Kornicis, Square Pie, Mamuska, Fever Bars, Ruth & Robinson, K10, CG Restaurants, Vapiano, Resolution Leisure, Malvern Inns and Dalziel & Vine. The popular event is in its third year and allows operators and investors in the sector to extend their network of contacts. Propel managing director Paul Charity said: “We have seen great demand for places in previous years and have added to the event’s capacity this year to meet demand.” Tickets are £110 each – email paul.charity@propelinfo.com to book a place. 

 

Next recording for Propel Premium subscribers to feature Burger & Lobster managing director Simon King: The next recording for Propel Premium subscribers, to be sent out today (Friday, 6 May), will feature Burger & Lobster managing director Simon King. He talks about the brand’s unique business model, sourcing lobsters, pegging prices in the face of inflation, and the company’s approach to franchising. Operators, drinks companies, law firms, accountants, distributors and marketing firms are among the first companies that have signed up to receive the Propel Premium subscription service. The current free service to all existing readers remains the same, but readers can opt to upgrade to receive the Propel Premium service. Propel Premium subscribers will be able to receive the Morning Newsletter, which is sent at 6.30am each weekday, 12 hours earlier at 6.30pm the day before. Subscribers will also receive a copy of the Propel database of 500 multi-site companies, which will be updated every six months, and receive a digital version of Propel Quarterly magazine a week before publication. For operators, annual subscription costs £345 plus VAT, with an extra £50 per additional subscriber at each company. For suppliers, annual subscription costs £445 plus VAT, with an extra £50 per additional subscriber at each company. To subscribe to the Propel Premium service, email anne.steele@propelinfo.com 

BBPA – ‘government has made right decision delaying new Pubs Code introduction’: The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has said the government has made the “right decision” by delaying the introduction of the new Pubs Code. Business minister Anna Soubry said yesterday (Thursday, 5 May) the code, which would reform the relationship between tenants and big pubcos, would not come into force on 26 May as planned after problems in its drafting. In response, BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: “The government has made the right decision in recognising that more work is needed on the draft regulations. We are committed to working with them to bring the new Code into force as soon as possible and believe that a period of reflection will give time for the adjudicator to issue guidance.” The code will allow pub tenants to have their rent reviewed regularly and give so-called “tied” tenants – who are bound to pay rent to and buy in all their beer and drinks from large pubcos rather than on the open market – the option to request a Market Rent Only option “in specific circumstances”. Soubry told MPs: “Since laying the Pubs Code regulations, we have identified a small number of technical drafting errors. It is important to get the Pubs Code right for both tenants and pub owning businesses. Therefore the government withdrew the regulations in order to deal with these errors. This means that the Pubs Code will not be in force by the 26 May as previously set out.” Soubry vowed that the department would address the drafting errors “quickly” and said amended regulations would be laid before Parliament “as soon as possible, minimising the delay bringing the code into force”. She added: “The regulations are subject to the affirmative procedure, and so parliament will have an opportunity to debate the content and give the regulations full scrutiny.”

SIBA research shows demand for craft beer in coffee shops: New research from the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has highlighted consumer demand for independent craft brewed beers to be sold in coffee shops, something the trade organisation is now looking to supply via its adapted BeerFlex service. The study, carried out by independent research company M&C Allegra, showed a fifth of people in the UK would visit coffee shops more often if they sold British craft beers – something the UK’s biggest coffee companies are clearly in a position to capitalise on, having continued to extend the number of branches selling alcohol in recent years. Coffee shops overall have seen meteoric growth over the past decade, reaching 20,728 in 2015 and predicted to hit 30,000 by 2025, driven by a huge increase in the number of branded coffee chains such as Whitbread-owned Costa (1,992 sites), Starbucks (849) and Caffe Nero (620), of which there were a total of just 1,600 in 2005. SIBA managing director Mike Benner said: “Many of the UK’s large coffee chains, Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Harris + Hoole – which is owned by Tesco – have already begun to look to increase the number of outlets with alcohol licences and the idea of coffee shops as all-day venues is something they are taking extremely seriously. It’s important, though, that coffee shops which pride themselves on serving high quality, expertly prepared coffee, don’t let their offering slip when it comes to beer. The UK’s craft brewing industry has never been stronger or more exciting and there is a clear fit between coffee shops and craft-brewed beer – particularly craft canned and bottled beers, which are small, light and easy to store, but offer amazing flavour and quality.” To meet the demand SIBA has adapted its BeerFlex service, which supplies the UK’s biggest pub companies with independent beer from SIBA breweries, to work for the UK’s coffee shops. SIBA said the focus of the new venture will be bottled and canned beers, which are easier to store, chill and serve – but all formats would be supplied. The “bier cafe” culture of places such as Belgium is also making an impact in the UK with beer often served in smaller stemmed glasses than the traditional pint glass associated with beer in the past. In fact when people are trying new beers 34% of people opt for a half pint glass, whereas just 26% opt for a pint glass, according to research conducted by YouGov last year.

Tim Martin – ‘let’s quit the EU while we still have our democracy, prosperity and freedom’: JD Wetherspoon founder and chairman Tim Martin has said the UK should quit the EU “while we still have our democracy, prosperity and freedom”. Writing for the Belfast Telegraph, Martin said: “The judgments of the European Court, made by judges who are not under the democratic control of the peoples of Europe, make up about 50% or so of the new laws and regulations in the UK each year. Legislation can only be initiated by the unelected European Commission, and European members of parliament are widely regarded, often by themselves, as having minimal control over the law-making process, partially as a result of the remoteness of the whole system from the European public. The consequent main argument for the ‘Leave’ campaign is that democracy, prosperity and freedom are all closely linked. Yet EU institutions are slowly removing democracy from member states, so that Greece and Portugal, for example, have lost control of their own budgets, as well as their interest rates, two of the most democratic controls of any parliament. The ‘Remain’ campaign, by contrast, focuses on the advantages of a single market and the risks inherent in leaving a ‘community’ of countries which has been in existence for a considerable time and has coincided with generally rising living standards in the main European economies. My own view is that a common market is to the benefit of all and that free movement of peoples within the existing countries of Europe has also been a general benefit. However, I strongly believe that democracy is necessary for future prosperity and even survival. Once democratic powers are lost, a sense of alienation and anger invariably follows – history indicates that these emotions can result in the rise of extremist parties and politicians, as we can already see in the European landscape. So let us have a common market and free movement of peoples, but let’s repatriate the making of laws to national parliaments. Co-operation is great, friendship is great, but let’s hold on to democracy with both hands.”

 

House of Lords approves Queen’s birthday licensing hours relaxation: The House of Lords has approved the proposed relaxation of the licensing hours for the Queen’s birthday as expected. This is the final required piece in the parliamentary “jigsaw”. Solicitor John Gaunt said: “Essentially the extensions apply to premises with either a premises licence or club premises certificate that authorises the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises and does not relate to off-sales. The extension will allow alcohol to be sold on 10 and 11 June until 1am the following morning on each occasion provided the premises licence or club premises certificate ordinarily authorises licensable activities on those dates until 11pm. It also appears to relate to late-night refreshment and regulated entertainment as long as the premises are authorised for the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises. Saturday, 11 June is, of course, also the date of the opening matches for both England and Wales at Euro 2016 in France – so there may possibly be cause for double or indeed triple celebrations.”

 

Oxford councillor complains to Caffe Nero founder over loss of free lunches to pay for National Living Wage: An Oxford councillor has branded Caffe Nero “mean and unfair” for ending free lunches for staff because of the government’s new National Living Wage, the Oxford Mail has reported. Tom Hayes, who represents St Clement’s, has written to Caffe Nero chief executive Gerry Ford, stating: “I am writing to express my deepest disappointment that Caffe Nero has decided to fund the introduction of the [National] Living Wage by cutting back perks for its hard-working staff. Yet it is reported that Caffe Nero made a before-tax profit of £23.6m in the year 2014/15. Clearly, your chain’s staff have helped Caffe Nero to generate such profits. But non-payment of its duties would also play a role. When corporations and businesses don’t pay their fair share of taxes in a country where they do business, the government is robbed of the money it needs to run public services that everyone can depend on. The decision to make your staff pay for their own wage increases by taking away their free lunches has struck me and many others across Oxford as mean and unfair on your staff.” A spokeswoman for Caffe Nero said: “The majority will be receiving a pay increase depending on their role or situation. Much of this is above and beyond the minimal wage requirements and emphasises our commitment to our hard working, and dedicated baristas.”

 

Arc Inspirations reports like-for-likes up 27% with record bank holiday sales, Ebitda to hit £3m this year, focusing on growing Banyan and Pit brands: Arc Inspirations, the multi-brand bar and restaurant operator, has reported like-for-likes were up 27% last week as it saw record bank holiday sales. Managing director Martin Wolstencroft told Propel average total sales per site increased to nearly £50,000 despite three days of snow. Six of the company’s 15 sites took more than £60,000 with two – Arc and Box in Leeds – breaking the £70,000 mark. Wolstencroft said like-for-likes between January and April were up 3% with the company set to hit Ebitda of more than £3m this year and turnover of £24m. Having opened its flagship Banyan Bar and Kitchen in Leeds last week and refurbished other venues in the estate, the company is now actively seeking new sites “between Nottingham and Newcastle” as it looks to hit its target of a 20-strong estate by 2018. Wolstencroft said its particular focus was on growing its Banyan Bar and Kitchen, and Pit brands. He added: “We are keeping our eye on some interesting opportunities to develop sites in Sheffield and Ilkley. We’re also looking at Hull, Nottingham and even Durham. One thing’s for sure, competition is fierce and we’re investing more time and resources than ever before to ensure we’re innovative and staying ahead of the curve in each of our new ventures. You’ve got to give people a reason to visit your venue – people are more likely to stay in and socialise or go out much later than before. Likewise, the general public is much more aware of current trends such as the current gin revival and health-focused trend that is sweeping the nation. We’re making sure we’re addressing these points and meeting the needs of each customer across our portfolio of brands, for example through our extensive healthy options menu and through our gin lovers’ paradise collection on our cocktail menu.” The company has expanded the menu at its Pit venues to make it a “bit more Mexican”, which has increased food sales. It now features smaller plates and burritos alongside its staple North American offering of burgers and ribs. Wolstencroft said: “We have a new slogan – ‘No borders, no rules’. Basically we just live for the day. It doesn’t matter where people are from – we just want them to come in and enjoy themselves.” Wolstencroft also revealed Arc beat competition from five other multinational companies to acquire the Old Post Office site in Leeds from Greene King that is home to its fourth Banyan Bar and Kitchen. It invested £1.4m opening the 120-cover site, which has created 60 jobs – taking the company’s spending to £9m in the past three years. Wolstencroft added: “I’m incredibly proud to have managed to acquire it as a local Leeds company with its roots here. We set up our first bar in Leeds 16 years ago, Arc in Headingley, so the opening of Banyan Leeds is our way of putting the Banyan stamp on the city, in its spiritual home if you like.”

Intertain launches new comedy partnership with Just the Tonic at three sites: Walkabout operator Intertain has launched its new comedy offering “The Comedy Loft” with a special event at Comedy Loft venue 6 On Broad Street in Birmingham. The new venture is in partnership with comedy producer Just the Tonic, which is run by established comedian Darrell Martin. Comedy Loft gigs will take place on Friday and Saturday nights at Intertain’s venues in Camden (Dingwalls), Birmingham (6 on Broad Street), Reading (Sub89) and Watford (Walkabout), with dates being extended throughout the week for the busy Christmas shows. The new relationship is designed to allow Intertain to provide a significantly enhanced comedy offering, with Just the Tonic working with comedians such as Johnny Vegas, Tom Stade, Reginald D Hunter, Ross Noble and Seann Walsh in the past few months alone. Comedians already booked to appear at Comedy Loft venues in the coming months include Paul Sinha, Reginald D Hunter, Tom Stade, Lee Nelson, Doc Brown and James Acaster. As part of the move, Intertain will also explore the potential for comedy at other times during the week, as well as working on becoming a home to touring shows for both big-name, established acts and up-and-coming comedians. Simon Kaye, chief operating officer at Intertain, said: “Just the Tonic is extremely well-known within the industry for sourcing the best comedians in the business. This new partnership is designed to help us build The Comedy Loft brand, becoming known for top-drawer comedy and the best possible customer experience.”

Wasabi hires operations director: Wasabi Sushi & Bento has appointed Frederic Lluch as its new operations director. Lluch has worked for the likes of Ibis and Novotel as well as being the regional operations director at Café Rouge and most recently the managing director of Obica. He said: “I am looking forward to the role at Wasabi and to get to know my new colleagues. There are lots of exciting opportunities and challenges in the pipeline for the company, which I am proud to be a part of. Joining a company that prides itself on high standards and attention to detail is extremely important to me and I look forward to helping Wasabi maintain its prestigious name.” Dong Hyun Kim, chairman and founder of Wasabi, added: “I am delighted to welcome Frederic into the Wasabi family. As we continue to expand, his experience and expertise will be crucial in ensuring our ever-growing operations run smoothly. I am confident that with Frederic on board, Wasabi will continue to provide customers with a consistently high standard of food and service.” Wasabi has recently opened its 45th UK branch and its second site in New York. It will shortly open new branches at Lime Street and Ealing Broadway in May with an expansion to Oxford lined up for later in the summer. The company has recently entered a partnership with housing and homelessness charity Shelter.

Hummus Bros reports 30% sales growth and like-for-likes up more than 20% ahead of world hummus day: Hummus Bros, the London-based hummus restaurant chain, has said its sales have grown 30% in the past year while like-for-likes have increased more than 20%. The company has opened two new central London sites during the past 12 months – in Eastcheap and Grays Inn Road – and co-founder Christian Mouysset said there had been an “acceleration” in the popularity of hummus during that period. It also runs more than 300 pop-up locations and has reached a new milestone of selling 12,000 meals a week. The company will be celebrating world hummus day next Friday (13 May), where market stall and deli owners, restaurateurs, and shoppers across the globe are encouraged to tweet what they eat and use #hummusday across social media. Mouysset said: “We’re thrilled to see so many people celebrating world hummus day. Every year hummus is getting more popular and we’ve witnessed an acceleration of this in the past 12 months where our like-for-likes are up over 20%.”

 

Manchester-based pop-up street food market specialist gets go-ahead for permanent home in city: Manchester-based pop-up street food market specialist Beat Street has been given the go-ahead to create a permanent home in the city centre. The company has secured permission to regenerate an underused site next to the Great Northern Warehouse into a 9,000 square foot area to provide space for seven street food traders, three bars, and a 150-cover split-level heated all-weather terrace, rooftop sundeck and outside grill. The street food market, which will be open from 11am to 3am daily, is expected to launch in the middle of June. Beat Street founder Chris Legh told the Manchester Evening News: “After a number of successful pop-ups, Beat Street has found a permanent home and we are creating a street serving the best food from around the globe with a great atmosphere and unusual bars. We will be announcing the residents of our brand new street very shortly and we can’t wait to get open in time for summer.”

 

Greene King saves nearly £1m in water costs: Greene King has managed to save nearly £1m in water costs by using an online water management system. The company has been working with water management consultancy Waterscan and to date has achieved a £900,000 water cost saving with consumption savings equivalent to 304 million pints. Waterscan used its online water management system Waterline to establish the brewer’s performance across multiple sites. In total, 149 audits of high-consuming pubs were conducted by Waterscan technicians. The organisation then identified and fixed leaks on supply and internal pipes, fixed faulty water storage tanks, taps, urinal controls and toilets and also resolved shared supply and meter reading issues. Overall, Greene King’s water consumption was reduced by 173,000 cubic metres (12.13%) – or 304 million pints over a three-year period versus a 2012 baseline across this part of its estate. Gavin Worthington, purchasing manager for Greene King, said: “This water project was as an integral part of our corporate social responsibility programme. Once we had meaningful data, we set a consumption reduction target of 12% for 2015 against a 2012 baseline and we were delighted to surpass this.” 

 

Former Punch Taverns executive becomes director at Titanic: Former Punch Taverns director of central operations Andy Slee has joined the board of Titanic Brewery. The company is looking to grow its pub estate from nine sites to 20 by the end of 2020. Last year, the company, led by Keith and Dave Bott, also hired former Punch executive Alan Hurt as its retail director. In 2014, Titanic invested £300,000 on new offices, a brewery shop and a remodelled brewery with new up-to-the-minute cooling tanks and additional cool stores. “Titanic has grown from a brewery producing just seven barrels to more than 2.5 million pints per year during 11 years,” Dave Bott reported at the time.

 

Smashburger lines up third UK site in Bath: Better burger brand Smashburger has lined up its third UK site. The company has lodged plans to open a restaurant in Bath city centre. It has submitted an application to Bath and North East Somerset Council to move into the SouthGate shopping centre and take up space occupied by doughnut company Krispy Kreme and photographic shop Jessops. The application said the existing tenants do not trade well in this location and “are keen to relocate to a stronger retail pitch within the Southgate Centre”, reports the Bath Chronicle. The application added: “There is nothing to suggest that the introduction of a modern restaurant unit within the retail core will in any way affect the street’s primary function as a shopping area, nor will it affect the street’s vibrancy and vitality. It will in fact support the other retail units nearby by attracting customers to the area, increasing footfall and encouraging people to stay on the street longer than they would otherwise have done.” Smashburger, which has 335 restaurants in 35 US states and seven countries, was founded by former McDonald’s executive Tom Ryan. It signed a partnership with AL Ventures, part of the MSG Group, last year to launch in the UK. The company plans to open 35 restaurants in the UK in the next few years, with the first in Milton Keynes set to launch this month and plans also lodged for a site in Brighton.

 

Papa’s Fish and Chips to open site in East Yorkshire village: Papa’s Fish and Chips is set to open a restaurant in an East Yorkshire village this summer. The company is transforming the former Swiss Cottage pub in Bilton, near Hull, into a 200-seat restaurant, creating 60 jobs. It comes after Papa’s opened what it claimed was the world’s biggest fish and chip restaurant in nearby Willerby – alongside a museum about the UK’s favourite dish – last year. Although a Harry Ramsden’s fish and chip restaurant in Bournemouth has more seats, the Willerby site is the world’s largest by floor space at 10,000 square feet. Owner Sid Papas told the Hull Daily Mail: “We believe this is a fantastic location and, with it being empty for so long, we wanted to bring something new to the area. This is a very large takeaway and restaurant similar to our Willerby site, but this restaurant will have about 200 seats. Hull is a very exciting place at the moment, with so much going on for the City of Culture in 2017 – we are so pleased to be contributing to this.” The restaurant chain serves traditional battered fish and chips, along with prawns, mussels and grilled seafood. Papa’s, which has about 15 sites, was founded in 1966 in Margate, Kent, and is still owned by the family.

 

McManus Pub Company sells Northampton site to new Chinese restaurant concept: McManus Pub Company has sold one of its sites in Northampton town centre. The company closed the Bootleggers in Wellingborough Road last November and owner Paul McManus has sold it to a couple who are setting up a Chinese restaurant. Bootleggers, which had an American diner theme, was formerly known as The Workhouse pub. New owner Yee Ling told the Northampton Chronicle a refurbishment was currently taking place and it was hoped the restaurant, called Moso, would open by July offering a fusion of Asian foods. McManus Pub Company operates 15 sites, which are mainly in Northampton with two in Essex.

 

London-based street food fish and chip concept to open permanent site in Notting Hill: London-based street food fish and chip concept The Chipping Forecast is to open a restaurant in Notting Hill. The concept, which trades at Berwick Street Market in Soho, is launching a permanent site in All Saints Road at the end of the month, reports Hot Dinners. The Chipping Forecast uses fresh, sustainably caught Cornish fish that is cooked in BrewDog Punk IPA beer batter. It will also offer home-made fish cakes, fish pie, prawn cocktail, salt and pepper squid, steamed Cornish mussels, monkfish “scampi”, and its Seadog – a panko breaded fillet of plaice served in a brioche bun with minted pea puree, tartar sauce and rocket. The dishes are served with triple-cooked chips.

 

3Sixty Restaurants reports group Ebitda up 91%: 3Sixty Restaurants, led by James Horler and backed by Luke Johnson, has reported sales grew 15.8% to £17.4m in the year to the end of March 2016. Site Ebitda was up 25% on the previous year to £1,900,000 and group Ebitda increased 91% to £1,063,000. The group finished the year with net cash of £2.1m. The company has opened a new Ego pub in Ackworth during the year and said trading is ahead of expectations by some distance. Both of its pub venues are delivering very strong returns on investment. The decision was taken by the board to exit the Holborn restaurant for an undisclosed premium. This site has now closed. A new Ego pub is being constructed in Cannock and will open at the end of this month. Horler said: “This year we have increased our confidence in the pub operating model and see this as the growth going forward. We are able to fund the growth ourselves and are actively seeking opportunities to invest in long commercial leases on suitable pub properties throughout the Midlands and north.”

Lincoln & York wins UTZ certification: Coffee sourcing, roasting & packaging specialist Lincoln & York is now offering UTZ certified coffees. The UK-based private label roaster obtained the certification following a growth in demand from customers and an increased presence overseas. Lincoln & York is now the largest UK roaster to offer the certification. UTZ is a programme and label for sustainable farming of coffee, cocoa and tea. The programme supports coffee farmers to develop their farming methods, improve their working conditions and take better care of people and the environment. UTZ plays an important role in providing transparency of the sustainable origin of coffee products. Lincoln & York, which was founded in 1994, now supplies coffees from more than 40 origins, with other sustainable certifications including Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance Certified and organic. James Sweeting, managing director of Lincoln & York, said: “We are very proud to be expanding our offering of sustainable certifications to include UTZ. UTZ has become a well-recognised certification, both in the UK and overseas. As a private label coffee supplier, flexibility is very important. As we continue to grow our European customer base we have to adapt to satisfy the changing needs of coffee consumers.”

 

Costa Coffee launches three summer concepts stores: Costa Coffee has launched three new Seriously Summer stores across the UK to mark the start of summer and the launch of Costa’s new summer food and drink menu. London, Leeds and Glasgow have been specially chosen as the three locations across the UK to be refurbished with a new tropical decor. Costa will bring summer to the three locations with full-sized window, floor, wall and table vinyls printed with tropical prints and flamingos. Hot pink neon signs will light the store, while brightly patterned coasters and cushions and plants will adorn the interior. The flagship stores will have selfie zones where customers can pose in a Miami-themed setting complete with sun loungers, fake grass and flamingos. Caroline Harris, UK and Ireland marketing director at Costa, said: “We wanted to give select Costa stores a complete revamp to celebrate the start of summer and create an engaging environment for customers to enjoy our new summer menu. We hope the fresh look will encourage customers to see Costa as a seriously summer destination.” The new Seriously Summer stores were unveiled as Costa’s summer food and drink ranges went on sale in Costa stores across the UK. The new menu includes Costa’s new superday smoothies and rainbow salad wraps. The three Seriously Summer stores sporting the look until Monday, 27 June are: Great Portland Street, London; Briggate, Leeds; and Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow.

 

Centerplate wins Hastings Pier catering contract: Centerplate has won the contract to supply catering at Hastings Pier, which will be officially opened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, 21 May after being almost destroyed by fire in 2010. The broad range of food on offer has been developed to cater for all tastes from the “Bucket & Spade Club” children’s menu and line caught cod and chips for visitors looking for traditional seaside food, to dishes such as cider cured sea trout, Earl Grey tea smoked Channel mackerel and Weald mushroom ragout aimed at making Hastings Pier a destination venue for those seeking exciting new culinary experiences. Grazing-themed menus will also be available offering tapas-style dining aimed at the younger generation of consumers. Local suppliers include Sussex Ice Cream; Harveys Brewery, which has worked with Centerplate to create a new beer 1872 which will be exclusively available at Hastings Pier; and Nyetimber Vineyard. Matthew Nicholson, Centerplate’s operations director – south, said: “The very essence of visitor catering is enhancing the customer experience and we want food to be one of the focal points for those visiting Hastings Pier – whether they are enjoying a family day out, attending a conference or celebrating a special occasion.”

 

Chestnut Group launches new academy: Suffolk-based hospitality company Chestnut Group has launched a new academy. The two-year trainee programme involves hands-on operational and leadership training, and the offer of a full-time managerial position with the company on completion. The Chestnut Group aims to recruit up to four trainees each year with the programme split into six-month posts across each area of the business. As well as mentorship from managing director Philip Turner, trainees will conclude the programme by partnering with the group management team to build first-hand knowledge of business management, brand design, digital marketing, and promotional campaigns. Turner said: “We pride ourselves on creating an exceptional guest experience and that rests on having a committed, passionate and experienced team who are at the top of their game. Our trainees do not need previous hospitality experience, just a genuine passion to create a guest experience that is second-to-none. Too often hospitality is seen as a stopgap rather than a serious full-time option. We want to give people the chance to learn from the very best in the industry and have the opportunity to create a long and meaningful career.” The Chestnut Group’s first opening was The Packhorse Inn in Moulton, near Newmarket. It also owns The Rupert Brooke in Grantchester and has taken on The White Horse in Easton, near Framlingham, which is due to open this month and marks the company’s first move into management. It is also due to reopen the nine-bedroom Ounce House in Bury St Edmunds as The Northgate this summer.

 

Owner of Leeds-based independent coffee shop seeks investment for expansion: The owner of Leeds-based independent coffee shop La Bottega Milanese is eyeing expansion and seeking investment to help grow the business. Alex Galantino launched the company in 2009 in The Calls with what he described as “the smallest coffee shop ever”. Having outgrown the site, the company moved to The Light shopping centre in 2011 before opening its second site in Bond Court in 2014. Now Galantino, who launched the concept after “finding it difficult to get the quality of coffee he was used to back in Milan”, is looking for a partner to grow the business, acquiring it outright or ideally investing heavily and becoming a major stakeholder in the company. He told The Business Desk: “We made big waves in a small pond. Now we have another challenge. We want to go bigger, our product is bigger, and we want to attract investment to allow this to happen. Our site at The Light cemented our place in people’s minds, and now we pack a lot of punch in the brand – I want a partner in my leap of faith. I had a vision in 2009 to go bigger, and I want to fulfil that. I’ve taken it as far as I can. This business could do incredibly well in a growing market. I want someone with the vision to take it to the high street. I want this to explode on a bigger scale. Hopefully someone will see the potential, especially with me on board – we could do some damage!”

 

Meantime rolls out ‘Make Time For It’ campaign across UK: Greenwich-based Meantime Brewing Company is rolling out its creative “Make Time For It” campaign across the UK that celebrates the inherent craft of the London brewer. The campaign is centred on one of Meantime’s founding principles, something it refers to as the fifth ingredient in its beer – time. The company matures its beers for up to six weeks for greater flavour, so it is collaborating with six hand-picked, expert craftsmen across six major UK cities – Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, Brighton and London – as it looks to drive awareness of its brews. Meantime has challenged each of the craftsmen to create something unique in the same six weeks it will take them to brew a bespoke beer. The products will be featured in Meantime’s “Make Time For It” pop-up bar on the Southbank at London Riviera from mid-October alongside the six limited-edition beers. Meantime marketing director Rich Myers said: “Our roots are in Greenwich, the universal home of time, and aside to being the fifth ingredient in our beer, time is also in our name. ‘Make Time For It’ is about celebrating the time and passion we put into each one of our beers, as well as the leading craftsmen around the UK who share our values.”

 

Propel partners with Professor Chris Edger to launch new Brands Masterclass: Propel has partnered with the UK’s leading thinker and teacher on multi-site foodservice management Professor Chris Edger to launch a new Brands Masterclass to help create and evolve powerful brands. The event takes place on Friday, 10 June in the Chartered Accounts Hall at One Moorgate Place in London. Led by Edger, the all-day masterclass will showcase the advice of contemporary brand experts, who will address each aspect of a foodservice brand’s marketing mix. Each expert will deal with a specific dimension of brand longevity and success, making this programme an absolute must for UK foodservice brand leaders in 2016. The day will be split into three sessions to help delegates ensure their brands are evolved effectively to ensure long-term sustainability and success. Session one will cover leadership, proposition and product and will see Edger drawing on material from his newly-published book, co-written with Tony Hughes, senior independent director of The Restaurant Group, examining the leadership lifecycles of sustainable food brands. The session also features leading brands consultant Ian Dunstall on how to effectively differentiate a brand and its proposition while Chris Gerard, founder of gastro-pub business Innventure, will explain how to create and evolve a compelling food and beverage offer. Session two will cover environment, estate and employer branding with Janfranco Caro, creative director, and Sarah Mannerings, head of interior design of leading restaurant and brand design agency Mystery, looking at site design and creating a brand identity while insights firm CACI will explore how operators create a high quality estate. Former Orchid Group chief executive Rufus Hall will talk about creating a people-centric culture and the benefits of having an outstanding team ethos. The final session will look at execution and marketing with Dr Clinton Bantock, associate professor of the Academy of Multi-Unit Leadership, sharing how to achieve operational excellence while James Hacon, managing director of Elliotts, will look at examples of memorable marketing campaigns and the importance of rewarding loyal customers. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers members and £345 plus VAT for non-members. To book email anne.steele@propelinfo.com