Wagamama
Coverage focuses on the performance, expansion, and brand strategy of the UK’s leading pan-Asian casual dining chain, known for its open kitchens, communal seating, and fast-casual service model. Reporting includes new site openings, delivery and click-and-collect rollouts, vegan and seasonal menu innovation, tech-enabled ordering, and group-level developments under parent company The Restaurant Group. Insight is designed for operators tracking high-volume branded dining, consumer health trends, and competitive movement across the mid-market segment.
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Dec- 2018 -20 DecemberRestaurants
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…
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11 DecemberRestaurants
Soho’s The Duck and Rice eyes global expansion
Pub and Chinese restaurant, The Duck and Rice in Soho, is currently in talks to secure its first overseas licensing deal. Conceived by Wagamama founder Alan Yau in 2015, the restaurant said it had now consolidated its position as a London landmark, and is looking at other London locations, the…
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4 DecemberRestaurants
Simon Cope resigns as Byron CEO
Simon Cope has resigned from his position as the CEO of embattled burger restaurant chain Byron amid the company’s restructuring plan under a CVA. His termination document appeared on Companies House on 3 December, stating he resigned on 30 November, just 18 months after joining from Wagamama, initially as Byron’s…
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Nov- 2018 -28 NovemberBusiness
The Restaurant Group acquisition of Wagamama to go ahead
The Restaurant Group’s (TRG) acquisition of Wagamama is to go ahead despite 40% of shareholders voting against the deal. Shares in the group sank by 13% on Wednesday, with big name shareholders concerned about price and debt levels for the group. Debbie Hewitt, chairwoman of TRG, said she was pleased…
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21 NovemberBusiness
TRG investors to oppose Wagamama acquisition
The Restaurant Group’s (TRG) investors are planning to vote against the company’s proposal to acquire Wagamama as they have said it “throws up too many red flags”. Columbia Threadneedle Investments, which owns 7.7% of TRG, have confirmed they are planning to oppose the proposal in a meeting on 28 November.…
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13 NovemberBusiness
EU rules could ‘thwart’ Hammond’s business rates promise
Hammond’s plan to help high streets through a near £1bn, two year business rates cut, is set to be thwarted by European Union state aid rules, real estate agents Altus Group have claimed. The chancellor will slash business rates next April by discounting bills by a third for those retail…
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12 NovemberBusiness
Restaurant Group plans rights issue to fund Wagamama purchase
The Restaurant Group (TRG) has announced it is a offer a discounted rights issue in order to fund its purchase of Wagamama. As many as 290 million new shares are set to be issued in a ‘13 for nine’ rights issue priced at 108.5p. Current shareholders and analysts have already…
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Oct- 2018 -30 OctoberBusiness
The Restaurant Group buys Wagamama
Frankie and Benny’s owner The Restaurant Group (TRG) has announced it has conditionally agreed to purchase Mabel Topco, operating as Wagamama for a cash payment of £357m. TRG said its offer valued Wagamama at £559m and it would convert some of its existing sites into Wagamama restaurants. It plans to…
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29 OctoberBusiness
Profits at top 100 UK restaurant groups plunge 80% to £37m in a year
The total pre-tax profits at the UK’s top 100 restaurants have plummeted by 80% in the last year to £37m, down from £194m 12 months ago according to accounting firm UHY Hacker Young. The drop means that pre-tax profits at the UK’s top 100 restaurant groups have fallen 89% from…
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17 OctoberAdvice
Shaping your proposition and brand with your customer at its heart
Restaurants around the UK, many of which have failed to put their customers at the heart of their proposition, are closing daily. Remaining operators now find themselves asking how they can achieve this. There are many tools that F&B businesses can implement in creating a true customer-first approach. Below are…
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