Leon owner EG Group to create 22,700 UK jobs

EG Group has said it will create around 22,700 UK jobs over the next five years driven by the expansion of its foodservice brands.

The company, which is run by Asda owners Mohsin and Zuber Issa, bought restaurant chain Leon and bakery group Cooplands last year.

EG said it plans to open ‘at least’ 50 more Leon sites each year through to 2026, with 10 launches planned in the Netherlands ahead of a wider European expansion.

It will also launch 30 Cooplands sites each year as part of a roll-out of the north of England bakery business, with sites planned in the forecourts of petrol stations owned by EG.

Further jobs will be created by opening sites with its brand partners, which include Starbucks and KFC, including on petrol forecourts and in Asda carparks, the company said.

EG also announced it has increased the average hourly pay for its UK staff to £10.05 for those aged over 18 "in recognition of the cost of living pressures they currently face".

The company said it plans to create more than 32,000 jobs globally over the next five years.

The Issa brothers said in a statement: “As EG continues to go from strength to strength, we will be creating a large number of new jobs over the coming years, particularly in our successful foodservice business ‒ which remains a significant growth opportunity globally.

“We are proud to be a business founded in Britain that invests in job creation worldwide, while focusing heavily on the training and development of colleagues.

“EG has a strong track record of providing colleagues with long-term opportunities to progress their career at all levels ‒ and we are passionate about continuing this

EG Group is the largest KFC franchisee in western Europe, operating 220 sites. The Issa brothers made an unsuccessful bid to take over Caffè Nero in 2020.