Turtle Bay CEO steps down: Turtle Bay, the Caribbean restaurant brand backed by Piper, has announced Nick Crossley has stepped down as chief executive, effective immediately. Crossley joined Turtle Bay in 2020, when the company operated 42 sites. Over the past four years, Crossley and his team have added nine new sites to the estate. A Turtle Bay spokesperson said: “Nick has decided to pursue new professional opportunities. The board and the team at Turtle Bay wish him every success in his future endeavours.” Earlier this week, Turtle Bay revealed it is to launch a new “elevated dining concept”. The company said that the enhanced concept will combine a “warm and welcoming venue design” as well as a new menu, featuring refined Caribbean-inspired dishes, all while still “honouring the roots of being a joyful and carefree place to connect with people”. The concept will launch at its restaurant in Chelmsford, Essex, with the site shut until March, as it undergoes an “inspired transformation that will see the restaurant elevated entirely from its current standing”. In July, Turtle Bay reported turnover grew 6.1% to a record £93,657,953 for the year ending 31 March 2024 compared with £90,103,059 the year before. Adjusted Ebitda stood at £9.0m (2023: £10.2m). Pre-tax profit was down to £1,861,259 from £9,925,555 the previous year, although that included the beneficial impact of insurance proceeds of £6.4m. The company said the new financial year had started “in line with expectations” and the economic environment “remains extremely tough”. Turtle Bay features in the Propel 500 report, an unparalleled resource that profiles the UK’s leading hospitality operators ranked by turnover – which is available now. This comprehensive report provides more than 90,000 words of analysis, delving into company histories, leadership structures, site numbers and financial performance, making it an essential resource for industry professionals. A list of the operators included can be discovered now by visiting the Propel 500 page on Propel’s website. The guide is delivered in two parts: an introductory PDF, featuring deep dives into the top 25 companies and 6,500 words of insight from Propel’s expert writers, and a fully searchable Excel sheet, offering easy access to all the data. Key highlights include Mark Wingett’s exploration of mergers and acquisitions shaping the Top 500’s future, Tim Street’s view of the UK’s franchise market, and Phil Pemberton’s insights into experiential leisure as a hospitality cornerstone. Katherine Doggrell examines developments in UK hotels, while Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, identifies emerging growth sectors, and Maria Vanifatova, founder of Meaningful Vision, analyses trends in quick service restaurants Propel 500 is available now for £595 plus VAT. Existing Premium Club members can purchase it for £395 plus VAT. Premium Club members will receive the report for free on Friday, 28 February at 9am. Order the Propel 500 report today by emailing: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com.

PizzaExpress partners with SSP for new international airport restaurants: PizzaExpress, the Paula MacKenzie-led business, has partnered with SSP, the UK operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide, to launch at two airports in Saudi Arabia. PizzaExpress, which has ambitions to open 1,000 restaurants globally by 2030, has opened at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International airport, and at King Khalid International airport in Riyadh. The openings signal the brand’s continued growth in the Middle East, where it already operates more than 20 pizzerias. Following successful launches at London Gatwick airport and its PizzaExpress Pod at Tesco in Southampton last year – plus the brand’s expansion into the US later in 2025 – PizzaExpress said these openings cement its commitment to broadening its concepts and outlets. It said the partnership with SSP will also play a significant role in helping the company achieve its ambitions in this sector. The two new sites also offer breakfast – bespoke to PizzaExpress’ airport locations – such as poached egg benedict with spinach, featuring sauteed spinach, hollandaise sauce and baked bread. PizzaExpress currently has a portfolio of nearly 360 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, alongside 110 international and franchise locations spanning 12 markets. Chris Holmes, PizzaExpress’ chief development officer, said: “We’re excited to be opening these new pizzerias with SSP, an experienced partner that shares our vision to offer delicious pizzas to our fans wherever they are.” Mark Angela, chief executive of SSP eastern Europe & Middle East, added: “At SSP, we take enormous pride in our portfolio of outstanding local and international brands, and PizzaExpress, with its reputation as a hugely loved name, is an impressive addition to that mix.” Propel revealed this week that PizzaExpress will open a Pod site at the Tesco Superstore in Swansea Marina.