Wagamama to share £4m bonus among staff following TRG sale
Wagamama is to give its employees Christmas bonuses of up to £2,000 from a £4m pot following the sale of the Asian dining chain to The Restaurant Group (TRG) for £599m.
Provided they have worked for the company for at least 12 months, head chefs and managers will receive £2,000 each, while waiting staff will be entitled £1,000.
Outgoing chief executive Jane Holbrook and Wagamama’s former private equity firm owner Duke Street made the decision to share the bonus among the chain’s 4,000 members of staff as a “token of appreciation”.
Duke Street acquired Wagamama in 2011 for £511m and last month, sold the chain to TRG. TRG’s purchase was originally met with skepticism and was voted against by 40% of its investors.
TRG CEO Andy McCue plans to accelerate the roll-out of Wagamama across the UK, expand concessions and pilot pan-Asian cuisine “food-to-go” offerings. The company would also look to grow Wagamama internationally.