Pret A Manger eats Eat but vows to go veggie in new stores May 22, 2019 Sandwich chain Pret A Manger said today it has agreed to buy rival British chain Eat. Pret plans to convert as many of Eat’s shops as possible to Pret stores serving vegetarian food in response to what it said was a growing consumer demand for more vegan and vegetarian options on the high street. Pret’s chief [...]
Pret in talks to gobble up rival Eat as part of health-conscious expansion plan May 16, 2019 Sandwich chain Pret A Manger is in discussions to snap up rival food group Eat in a bid to create a swathe of vegan and vegetarian-friendly food outlets. Read more: Pret A Manger reveals latest plans to help London's homeless Pret is nearing a deal to buy most of Eat’s 94 outlets or the entire [...]
Corbyn fails yet again to grasp the magic of competitive markets March 19, 2019 It is not the worst thing that Jeremy Corbyn has ever said. But it’s certainly one of the most revealing. A year ago, the Labour leader was explaining why he wanted to leave Europe’s Single Market while staying in the customs union – a stance memorably described by my fellow think tanker Kristian Niemietz as [...]
Eat’s owners Horizon Capital mull sale amid strain on high street food outlets February 13, 2019 The owners of sandwich chain Eat are planning to sell the business as it battles with growing competition in the crowded high street food market. Private equity firm Horizon Capital, which owns a major stake in the company, has appointed corporate advisory firm Spayne Lindsay to oversee a potential sale. Read more: EU competition watchdog [...]
Pret A Manger reveals latest plans to help London’s homeless by providing them accommodation and employment February 9, 2019 Pret A Manger has announced a new initiative to help homeless people by providing them accommodation and employment to help them get back on their feet. The company has had a charitable wing, The Pret Foundation, since 1995 and continues to help the homeless by giving away unsold food – up to three million items [...]
Pret A Manger and Krispy Creme owner Jab Holdings’ chairman Bart Becht announced retirement January 14, 2019 Bart Becht has resigned as chairman of Jab Holdings, which owns businesses including Keurig Dr Pepper and Pret A Manger. The company, which also owns the Douwe Egberts coffee brand and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, will continue to be run by chief executive Olivier Goudet and senior partner Peter Harf, who will be joined by three new [...]
Trust me, we’ve been thinking about market power and competition all wrong November 13, 2018 Economists, politicians, and commentators on both sides of the Atlantic are growing more concerned with the supposed “monopolisation” of the economy. In a 2017 report, the Social Market Foundation found that eight of 10 key British markets, including in phones, gas and groceries, were highly dominated by small numbers of companies. Its director, James Kirkup, [...]
Pret A Manger agrees payout with US staff who claim they were short changed October 28, 2018 Pret A Manger will pay almost $1m (£779,000) to US workers who claim they were underpaid while working for the company. The sandwich chain has been accused of rounding down the hours that staff at its New York outlets were reimbursed for. It is the second time the UK-based firm has been hit by accusations [...]
Deliveroo to update app with allergen information in wake of Pret crisis October 24, 2018 Food delivery startup Deliveroo has today said it is revamping its app with a new menu system which will allow restaurants to upload allergen information for every dish. London favourites such as Tortilla, Mildred's and Chipotle have signed up for the app's trial roll out in December, which will feature 30 brands that serve almost 300 sites. [...]
Second customer to have died after allergic reaction to Pret product named as Celia Marsh October 8, 2018 The second Pret a Manger customer believed to have died after having an allergic reaction to one of the chain's products has been named. Celia Marsh, 42, died on 27 December 2017 after eating a "super-veg rainbow flatbread" that was supposed to be dairy-free, but was later found to contain a yoghurt with traces of dairy. [...]