Shereen Ritchie hired as group CEO of investment platform Kuvi Hospitality: Kuvi Hospitality, the London-based hospitality investment platform, has hired Shereen Ritchie, formerly of Leon and Buns from Home, as its new group chief executive. Founded by Kuvi Capital, the family office of hedge fund manager Vikram Kumar, Kuvi Hospitality was created to build a bridge between high-performing US dining brands and international markets with strong appetite for new concepts. The founders have a successful track record in hospitality investment, having supported the growth of several US brands through Kuvi Capital. The company said Ritchie, formerly UK managing director of Leon and chief executive of Buns from Home, brings more 25 years’ experience of leading and scaling restaurant brands, with a focus on operational rigour and sustainable growth. As group chief executive, she will lead Kuvi’s brand selection and franchise partnerships while developing the “Kuvi go-to-market playbook: a framework designed to accelerate market entry, reduce risk and maximise profitability”. Ritchie said: “Kuvi Hospitality has a clear and ambitious mission: to introduce the best of the US restaurant scene to new markets with authenticity and long-term impact. I’m delighted to be working with the Kuvi Capital team led by Vikram and Richard Sears to develop a portfolio of brands with genuine heritage and global potential.” Sears added: “We know hospitality is a challenging sector but we believe the fundamentals are strong. People will always seek out experiences, connection and great food. The ‘human element’ can’t be replicated by artificial intelligence or social media – which makes world-class hospitality brands uniquely resilient.” The updated Propel UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers next Wednesday (10 September), at noon. This edition features 14 new additions, bringing the total number of featured companies to 370, with more than 213,000 words of content. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now 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. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Delivery sales surge in July, but takeaway trends remain steady: Britain’s top restaurant groups experienced strong growth in at-home dining in July 2025, with total delivery and takeaway sales increasing 13.5% year on year, CGA by NIQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals. This represents a sharp uplift compared with previous months of flat or marginal growth. The boost is supported by robust delivery performance, which saw sales climb 15.8%, alongside a 9.5% increase in combined total order numbers, indicating improved frequency and consumer confidence in the delivery market. Takeaway and click-and-collect sales also improved, albeit more modestly, with an 8.4% total year-on-year monthly takeaway sales growth. Overall, the at-home market in July reflects a return to form for delivery after a muted summer so far, due to mixed weather and ongoing uncertain consumer confidence. Total order volume for delivery exceeded 2.95 million, with takeaway orders just shy of 2.32 million. Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “The opportunity now is to build on delivery’s strong channel momentum, with value, consistency, and experience-led innovation. The right partnership marketing, promotional alignment, digital engagement and fulfilment capabilities are key for optimising this growth potential, even as broader consumer confidence wavers.”