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.

Aug- 2019 -

15 August

Paul reports 7.4% rise in turnover

Barkery and cafe chain Paul has reported a 7.4% rise in group turnover to £38m for the year to 31 December 2018. The chain also reported a 43.9% increase in online sales for the year, also said trading was “positive” for the current year to date. Over the past year,…
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7 August

Eat appoints Mike Rainer as MD

Sandwich chain Eat has appointed Mike Rainer as its new MD, after the company was acquired by Pret a Manger earlier this year. Rainer recently the CFO, will take on additional responsibilities as managing director, as the business continues to trade as a separate entity. Alongside the promotion, Eat has…
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Jul- 2019 -

22 July

Rise in veganism boosts sales at Caffe Concerto

Caffe Concerto has said a rise in veganism has helped boost sales for the cafe brand. The group said it has seen a year of “excellent” sales through its newly developed vegan product range and added that these trends represent the “telltale signs” of an even more markedly vegan-friendly 2020.…
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12 July

Pret to partner with Deliveroo exclusively across the UK

Food delivery app Deliveroo is today (12 July) announcing that sandwich chain Pret A Manger will join the service exclusively, offering Brits the chance to get morning and lunchtime foods delivered straight to their door or desk. The menu available on Deliveroo will include the Bang Bang Chicken Wrap, along…
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5 July

Venus café chain becomes ‘first in UK’ to use palm plates

Sustainable café chain, Venus Company, has claimed to be the UK’s first commercial café chain to use fully home compostable palm plates from India. The plates are sourced from the areca palm which is indigenous to India and “naturally environmentally friendly” as it falls from the tree and is not…
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3 July

Independent Age and Cosy Club partner to ‘end loneliness’

Restaurant and bar chain Cosy Club, which operates 25 sites across the UK, has announced a national partnership with Independent Age to help the fight to end loneliness. Free Teas For Those In Need will be taking place at 10-11am each Wednesday across all sites and will aim to support…
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2 July

Pret a Manger CEO to step down

Pret a Manger CEO Clive Schlee will retire from his role at the cafe chain after 16 years, he will maintain a role as non-executive director to ease the transition period. Current chief operating officer (COO) Pano Christou will take over day-to-day running of the company which has over 550…
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Jun- 2019 -

25 June

Cake Box reports 41% rise in gross profit

Bakery chain Cake Box has recorded a 41% rise in its gross profits to £7.7m for the year 31 March 2019; revenue also rose by a third to £17m. Pre-tax profits also rose by 14% to £3.8m, with profit for the period rising by just under 10% to £3m. The…
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19 June

Gather & Gather opens Friends-themed café

Hospitality brand Gather and Gather has teamed up with Primark Manchester to launch The Central Perk Café, its first ‘themed’ café opened to the general public. A speciality New York inspired menu is on offer at the Café, with shoppers able to enjoy waffles or pancakes topped with a range…
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19 June

Bakeries competing with sandwich chains as sales outperform market

Bakery outlets have seen the strongest growth in on-premise business among major British quick service restaurant (QSR) channels, with sales and visits up more than 19% and nearly 18% respectively in the past year, data from global information company The NPD Group has shown. Based on its new Bakery Trends…
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