Loungers eyes profit ahead of market expectations after post-Omicron rebound in sales April 26, 2022 Bar operator Loungers now anticipates its yearly profit to be “slightly ahead” of market expectations, after a strong performance after Christmas. In a trading update for the year to 17 April, the firm said it “recovered strongly” after a period of “subdued” trading in December, due to the Omicron variant and related Covid measures. The [...]
Heart and Seoul in South Korea, as the nation reopens for tourism April 25, 2022 The baby octopus floats in its tank, blissfully ignorant, until, all too soon, its time comes. The tiny, wrinkled old woman, who, I later learn, has been manning this particular food stall in Seoul’s colourful, noisy, aromatic Gwangjang market for over thirty-two years, yanks it out unceremoniously and whacks it down onto the steel surface. [...]
Burger King plots 200 new UK restaurants as fast food giant eyes whopper £600m London float April 25, 2022 Burger King is eyeing an additional 200 restaurants in the UK over the next four years, after “significant under-penetration” in the country’s market. The burger chain, which has been eyeing a London float since last year, said its adjusted EBITDA nearly tripled to £49.5m. In results for the year ended 31 December, the fast food [...]
Everything you were afraid to ask about the metaverse April 22, 2022 This article first appeared in ICAS’ CA Magazine. It recently hosted its first wedding, with a guest list of thousands. It may soon see CAs send digital avatars to clients’ virtual offices. But will the metaverse really reshape business or be just a niche preserve of gamers? Christian Koch investigates. The metaverse is coming… “Who [...]
Gaucho and M boss: Eat out with a clear conscience – or just eat at home April 21, 2022 THE owner of working lunch institutions Gaucho and M has said he’d rather eat at home if he can’t eat out with a clear conscience.Martin Williams, the restaurateur behind Rare Restaurants, told City A.M. yesterday that he would only be serving carbon-neutral beef from now on as consumers demand more from where they’re eating. “Our [...]
Exclusive: Sun European’s managing director on private equity deal-making in the City post-pandemic April 21, 2022 Time for City A.M. to catch up with investment veteran and City insider Mark Corbidge, managing director and a member of Sun European’s Investment Committee.
Jacob Rees-Mogg: Civil servants must ‘rapidly return’ to offices April 19, 2022 Ministers are reportedly being told to send a “clear message” to civil servants for a “rapid return” to offices. Up to three quarters of staff are still working from home, according to The Telegraph, as Whitehall sources accuse a “silent majority” of officials of not “pulling their weight. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the minister for government efficiency, [...]
Tortilla boss: ‘No intention’ of further price rises for customers as burrito chain eyes more dark kitchens April 11, 2022 Burrito chain Tortilla is eyeing dark kitchens in suburbia as a means to test locations before opening physical restaurants. Richard Morris, chief executive of the on-the-go operator, told CityA.M. that Tortilla viewed delivery as a “key part of our future.” “We realised that in London there are opportunities to further saturate the city with Tortilla [...]
Tortilla enjoys record revenue jump as it opens new site in Gatwick Airport April 11, 2022 Mexican restaurant chain Tortilla has secured a record revenue for the past 12-months, despite kicking off the year with Covid-19 closures. The retailer enjoyed a nearly 80 per cent jump in revenue to £48.1m in the year to 2 January, up from £35.4m prior to the pandemic. Tortilla, an on-the-go retailer, debuted on the London [...]
Corbin & King has fallen: What does it mean for The Wolseley, Zedel et al? April 7, 2022 You can be forgiven for not following the corporate intricacies of the hospitality sector, but last week was significant. On Friday, it was announced that Corbin & King, the restaurant group founded in 1981 by the eponymous Chris and Jeremy, had been bought out of administration by Minor International, the vehicle of American-born Thai billionaire [...]