All MCA Insight articles in April 2025 – Page 2
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Weekend PressCheap, ethical and delicious: it’s mince’s moment to shine
The French, though, don’t have a single word for mince. They call it “boeuf haché”. The Americans call it “ground beef”. Adjective, noun. It does what it says on the tin, Tim Hayward writes in the FT
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Weekend PressMeet SpudBros, the Preston pair turning jacket potatoes into a global brand
What started as a food stall in Lancashire has become a hit, drawing huge queues in London with customers eager to try the spuds topped with their secret ‘tram sauce’, The Times reports
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Weekend PressBidding war for Deliveroo? There could be appetite
The US firm DoorDash’s £2.7 billion swoop for the delivery company late on Friday may prompt Amazon, Prosus and Meituan to consider rival bids, The Times reports
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NewsKate Nicholls: NIC hike adds ‘disproportionate impact’ to already pressured sector
The UKHospitality leader describes the reduction in the earnings threshold for employer NICs and the rise in the main rate to 15% as “the most aggressive” tax change she has seen
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NewsLeaders call to reinstate tax-free shopping amid tourist slowdown
The “tourist tax” continues to be a point of concern for operators ahead of what some are calling a potential “summer of discontent”
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Analysis & InsightAlexander Geffert (1940–2025): a leisure industry legend remembered
The former Whitbread managing director and Luminar executive chairman had a career spanning over six decades, and was described as a visionary publican, entrepreneur, and mentor
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NewsLunch outperforms dinner during Easter weekend
Lunchtime bookings accounted for 56% of all reservations on Easter Sunday and Monday, compared to just 28% for dinner, according to the latest Zonal data
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InterviewsPopeyes UK: ‘We see our use of tech as a point of difference’
The fast-growing QSR brand’s chief technology officer David Carey talks to MCA about AI, the development of its app and why the brand wants to “own the customer experience” through building its own tech stack
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NewsPub Conference: Book your discounted early bird tickets before April deadline
MCA’s Pub Conference, on 26 June, boasts a full line up of sessions from the biggest and best in the industry, from Loungers, Urban Pubs & Bars and Stonegate to Punch Pubs, RedCat and Nightcap
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NewsJoe & the Juice appoints chairman
Jeffrey Lawrence brings over 25 years of experience in building digitally-enabled hospitality and consumer brands and previously spent two decades at Domino’s Pizza,
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InterviewsSides to appoint UK MD and target 14 UK stores
The QSR brand launched as a cloud kitchen concept in 2021, now operates six brick-and-mortar sites and aims to reach 14 by the end of the year, CEO Robin Mehta tells MCA
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NewsOpenings of the week
MCA rounds up this week’s biggest openings stories, including Chopstix, YouMeSushi, Greene King’s The Sherlock Holmes and more
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NewsMarket Taverns names new COO
The 15-strong London pub company has promoted Adrian Laws from operations director to the role of chief operating officer.
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OpinionCelebrities in the driving seat
With F1 racing champion Fernando Alonso acquiring a meaningful stake in Sticks ‘n’ Sushi, MCA columnist Dominic Walsh digests the backstory to the deal, and questions whether the mechanics of hospitality businesses should really be left to the professionals.
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EventsMCA partners with Pennies for Hostech 2025
A pioneer in micro-donation technology, Pennies enables customers to round up payments when paying by card or digitally – creating powerful impact for charities through small, everyday contributions
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Analysis & InsightScoring big with match day delivery: How to capitalise on the sport experience
Major sports events are cultural moment that bring people together. Tapping into this energy with clever delivery strategies and creative activations offers a clear way to stand out, stay relevant, and win with consumers, according to Lumina Intelligence
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NewsBlack Sheep Coffee to expand in West London
The brand has agreed with an existing franchise partner to open nine sites across Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Wandsworth and Kingston upon Thames
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NewsMeatailer reports pre-tax profit turnaround
The Scott Collins-led operator of MEATliquor restaurants, recorded pre-tax profit of £118k, for the year to 30 June 2024, up from a loss of £65k the previous year.
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Opinion‘London is the proving ground and springboard for growth’
Other international cities may offer growth potential for brands, but the capital remains the axis around which many of these global journey pivot, Ted Schama, founder of property consultancy One Voice Hospitality, writes for MCA
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NewsVision of tech future to be shared at Hostech
Where is AI leading us, and how is hospitality positioned to benefit? These are some of the big questions hospitality tech leader Arslan Sharif will look to answer in a special landscape and futurist session at MCA’s Hostech Conference next month.