Food and Drink

The latest news and updates on food, from the business journalists at Catering Today. We bring you the latest on what’s happening in the restaurants, bars and catering industry, with exclusive stories, analysis, best practice and industry comment.

Jan- 2024 -

19 January

Market Halls reports record festive period

Market Halls has revealed that its like-for-like sales were up 55% in December, a record for the company in the festive period. The company stated that sales were boosted by large corporate bookings, a high-profile appearance on BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals and an extensive Christmas campaign. The campaign offered a…
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19 January

Liberation Group appoints new people director

Liberation Group has announced the appointment of Cat Moseley as people director. The news follows Julia Rosamond’s retirement as people’s director on 1st March 2024. Moseley will start her new role on 5 February 2024 and joins Liberation Group from Motorpoint where she held the position of chief people officer…
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19 January

Hospitality venues’ sales rise 8.8% over December

Restaurants, pubs and bars saw sales rise by 8.8% over the latest Christmas period compared with data from 2022, according to the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker. According to CGA and RSM, the industry saw a sharp increase from 4% in November to more than 8% in December, and…
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17 January

Mitchells and Butlers sees LFL sales rise to 7.7% in Q1

Hospitality group Mitchells and Butlers has reported strong Q1 results as it recorded a 7.7% like-for-like sales growth, with total sales growth of 9.7%, for the 15 weeks ended 13 January 2024. It also stated that trading continued to strengthen over the festive season. The company’s like-for-like sales grew by…
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11 January

Shake Shack set to refurb Leicester Square site

Fast food restaurant Shake Shack has announced that it is set to reopen its venue in Leicester Square, London following a refurbishment. The site closed its doors on 8th January and will reopen later in the month after the revamp. The company stated that the new venue will transform into…
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10 January

Greggs to open 160 new stores as FY23 sales rise

Greggs has revealed it plans to open between 140 and 160 new shops in 2024 as total sales in FY23 increased 9.6% to £1.8bn. The food-to-go retailer saw a 9.4% increase in like-for-like sales during Q4 of the year, which the company said was driven by the popularity of the…
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Dec- 2023 -

22 December

Bunsik opens new Stratford site amid expansion

Bunsik has opened its fifth location this week following a period of expansion, with a new site at Westfield Stratford City’s food court. Marking its fourth site in London, Bunsik will serve Korean corn dogs and street food snacks, including a new veg burger and the Korean classic Bibimbap for…
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22 December

Newport Subway to open on Christmas to aid the homeless

Subway in Newport has announced that it is set to open on Christmas Day between 11.30am–1pm to aid the homeless and vulnerable. Franchisee William Evans and his team will welcome those in need, providing free meals and drinks in a comforting space. Ahead of the initiative launch, Subway has worked…
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19 December

Knoops revenues jump 67% to £4.43m in FY23

Knoops, the retailer of crafted chocolate drinks, has reported a revenue increase of 67% to £4.43m for the year ended on 30 September. Operating EBITDA for the group was up 206% to £269k, compared with £87k in 2022. Online sales were also up 48% on a like-for-like basis, with 63%…
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19 December

SSP further expands in North America and Middle East

SSP Group has acquired Calgary-based ECG Ventures Limited and has signed a new contract with Jeddah Airport to operate three F&B packages. The group’s expansion within North America and the Middle East comes as SSP aims to pivot into higher growth markets. SSP’s acquisition of ECG in Canada will see…
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