Cafes and Coffee Shops

The Cafes and Coffee Shops section on Catering Today explores the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the UK’s vibrant café and coffee sector. Covering independent operators, branded chains, and suppliers, it reports on store openings, menu innovation, sustainability initiatives, and shifts in consumer behaviour. With insights into operations, staffing, and technology, Catering Today provides hospitality professionals with up-to-date intelligence on the business strategies and market forces driving success in coffee-led hospitality.

Oct- 2020 -

26 October

Caffe Nero eyes CVA proposal

Caffe Nero is reportedly considering the launch of a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), as the pandemic takes a toll on its earnings. According to Sky News, the coffee chain is considering a CVA to cut costs on rent bills and exit loss-making outlets. Reports suggest it has not yet been…
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19 October

Pret A Manger to axe further 400 jobs

Pret A Manger has announced that it will close a further six branches and make up to 400 more redundancies as the pandemic continues to affect business. The food and coffee chain had previously cut 2,890 jobs and permanently closed 30 sites through a restructuring of the business, it announced…
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12 October

Tim Hortons UK expansion will create 2000 new jobs

Tim Hortons reportedly has plans to expand across the UK and Ireland in a bid to “capitalise” on the growing trend of drive-through dining. According to the BBC, the Canadian coffee chain said it hopes to open an outlet in “every major city and town” over the next two years.…
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Sep- 2020 -

24 September

Upper Crust owner predicts 86% decrease in sales

Owners of pastry chain Upper Crust, have predicted an 86% decrease in sales for the year to end in September. A trading report released by the company revealed that weekly sales are currently running at 76% below last year results. The SSP owned group touted slow return to UK commuter…
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22 September

Costa Coffee to open new branch in Durham outlet centre

Costa Coffee is set to open in outlet shopping center, Dalton Park. The new branch is part of four other deals that the retail center has made to bring new brands to the Durham based outlet park. Caroline Midgley, acquisition manager at Costa said: “We are delighted to be bringing…
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18 September

‘Rule-of-six’ will seriously impact hospitality sector, says poll

The majority of business operators said the new ‘rule-of-six’ will “negatively impact” the industry moving into autumn, according to the latest Lumina Intelligence Hospitality Leaders poll. Out of 219 operators questioned, 21% expected the negative effect to be “major”, 37% “moderate” and 27% “minor”. The study found that the remaining…
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17 September

Tossed to be acquired by former directors

Salad bar brand Tossed has been acquired out of administration by former directors Neil Sebba and Angeila Harrison. In July the company filed to appoint administrators, as the brand grappled with the challenges brought on by the Covid-19 crisis. However, Sebba and Harrison now have plans to save the new…
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11 September

Caffe Nero drafts in KPMG for landlord negotiations

Caffe Nero has drafted in KPMG in a bid to negotiate high street rent cuts with landlords, according to Sky News. It comes as the coffee chain, which operates 660 stores across the UK, is looking to “review its options” regarding its property portfolio amid the latest government restrictions concerning…
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4 September

Pret to launch ‘first ever’ in-shop coffee subscription service

Pret A Manger has announced it is to launch the “UK’s first ever” in-shop coffee subscription on Tuesday 8 September – the company’s first step to deliver its new multichannel strategy. The ‘YourPret Barista’ coffee subscription will cover all drink options prepared by Pret’s barista team and comes at a…
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3 September

Costa places 1,650 roles at risk

Costa has announced that 1,650 roles are at risk of redundancy following a newly-launched bid to restructure the group as it attempts to weather the impact of Covid-19. The coffee chain said the ongoing impact of Covid-19 has required the business to “make difficult decisions to ensure that as many…
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