All Itsu articles – Page 5
-
NewsReview of the Year Part Two
When England achieved the impossible, and destroyed the indestructible All Blacks in the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup, it looked like it was going to be a bumper day for hospitality on the day of the final. The UK would wake up early and hit the pubs and bars first thing to watch England win the final, followed by trips to restaurants, followed by pubs, bars and clubs, before ending up slumped on the sofa trying to focus on the highlights and order a Deliveroo. All England had to do was win.
-
NewsReview of the Year part One
Amid a backdrop of casual dining carnage and CVAs around every corner, the industry had plenty of news in 2019. But Pizza Express delivered drama. With 490 sites in the UK, Pizza Express is a national institution. So when it announced a net debt pile of £1.1bn earlier this year, and premature rumours of its demise hit the airwaves, the country rallied itself in the way it does best these days – by keyboard.
-
NewsGotham’s Christmas-ish Quiz!
It’s the week before Christmas and I hope many thresholds are being crossed, multiple tipples downed and that tills are ringing out! For my part, I have been thinking about what sort of Christmas present to get lucky readers – I have been racking my mind and the best I can do is the joy of a quiz!
-
NewsFast-moving grown-up Coco di Mama ‘can do’
Carbs and caffeine is a formula that has fuelled Coco di Mama’s expansion well. The fast-casual brand has been deftly serving long queues of office workers just that since 2011. This sweet spot customer, the 25-35-year-old affluent City worker, was the genesis of the brand in Fleet Street. While this core demographic served Coco well in its early years, a new management team last year realised it needed to broaden its appeal if it was to continue its expansion into adulthood.
-
NewsSnapshot: Puttshack Bank in pictures
Puttshack has opened its first central London site, at 1 Poultry, Bank.
-
NewsYo! to trial grab and go concept in Manchester
Yo! is to trial an express format restaurant designed for customers on the go, like a “Japanese version of Leon”, MCA’s sister title Big Hospitality reports.
-
NewsSay hello to the newest version of Yo!
When Yo! Sushi arrived in the UK in 1997 it was everything casual dining wants to be in 2019. Colourful, fun, innovative and fresh, it also had entertainment on the side thanks to the novel kaiten conveyor belt that served up plates of food. Remarkably, the novelty hasn’t worn off, even after 22 years. Yo!, which dropped the ‘Sushi’ from its name in September to send a message to the squeamish that it offered more than just raw fish, reported a UK sales hike of 5% to £88.9m in July.
-
Analysis & Insight‘TRG now has a future’
The legacy of Andy McCue’s truncated time as chief executive of The Restaurant Group is, as well all know, the £559m acquisition of Wagamama. When the deal squeaked through last year, there was widespread scepticism over the longevity of its stellar like-for-like sales growth.
-
News
Pure appoints Takhamt as first COO
Healthy grab and go brand Pure has appointed Said Takhamt, formerly of Pret, itsu and Eat, as its first chief operating officer.
-
NewsWrapchic bought out of administration
Indian-Mexican fusion burrito brand Wraphic has been bought out of administration after being impacted by “issues with franchisees”.
-
NewsPrezzo appoints David Haimes to Board
Prezzo has appointed David Haimes as non-executive Director. Haimes has spent over 20 years in the food and drink industry, including CEO of Obikà Mozzarella Bars & Restaurants and MD at brands including Yum! Brands, Itsu, Luminar Leisure and Tchibo GB.
-
NewsJust Eat acquires City Pantry to enter B2B catering
Just Eat has snapped up City Pantry for an initial £16m.
-
Analysis & InsightChange is afoot
This year has already seen the departure of a fair few long-standing chief executives in the eating and drinking out sector, with the news that Clive Schlee will be stepping down from his role at Pret after 16 years sure to have caused a few surprised expressions yesterday. MCA’s deputy editor Georgi Gyton looks at the legacy he will leave, and what his departure may mean for Pret. Featuring additional commentary from MCA contributing editor Peter Martin.
-
Analysis & InsightHeating up: Itsu’s growing hot food sales
The grab-and-go chain’s group marketing director speaks to MCA’s sister title Food Spark about how past successes are informing future menu development.
-
NewsItsu lines up Victoria station site as part of push into travel hubs
Itsu is to open a new site within London Victoria train station, as it pushes forward with its plans to expand within travel hubs, MCA has learnt.
-
OpinionGotham’s Easter quiz
With the Easter bank holiday weekend almost upon us, MCA’s market insight director Steve Gotham offers up a bit of a light-hearted break from the norm with a test of your knowledge of the eating and drinking out market.
-
NewsWeekend press round-up 9-10 March 2019
Tortilla exploring options The restaurant chain Tortilla has been placed on the block by its backers, including the private equity firm Quilvest. The Mexican food chain, which is opening its 37th UK site this week, has appointed advisers from Spayne Lindsay. Sunday Times HSBC chokes on ...
-
Analysis & InsightFood to go diversifies away from London
The Food to Go sector is diversifying away from London at the same time as reacting to changing consumer needs – with food quality now just as important as speed and convenience, the latest MCA data shows.
-
Opinion
Changing through the gears
On the back of securing investment from private equity group TriSpan, Mark Wingett speaks to Thunderbird Fried Chicken founder Matt Harris, new chief executive Marcel Khan, and property director Kieran Sherlock about what that means for the business, and looks at what it means for the wider better chicken category, which could be set to take off after several false starts.
-
NewsTriSpan backs Thunderbird Fried Chicken rollout
Private equity firm TriSpan has made its second UK investment, backing the rollout of street food star Thunderbird Fried Chicken, MCA has learnt.