Pret signs two UK franchise partners as expansion push begins

Pret A Manger has signed two new UK franchise partners as it looks to double the size of its business within the next five years.

The cafe chain has partnered with Dallas Holdings, which the group said has worked to "enhance customer experiences" across multiple brands, and K&Z Holdings, a family-run, multi-unit franchise business.

Pret said both companies had gone through a "rigorous" interview process to ensure they were "the right cultural and digital fit" for the brand.

In spring 2022 cafes in Guildford, Bournemouth, Basingstoke and Woking will be transferred to K&Z Holdings, while the four Pret shops in Oxford will be taken over by Dallas Holdings.

Pano Christou, chief executive of Pret, said the agreements would help “kickstart [Pret’s] growth in different parts of the country”.

Pret recently announced plans to hire 3,000 new staff as it looks to double the size of its business within the next five years.

The company is undergoing a major transformation after sales slumped during the pandemic, and this week began trialling a loyalty scheme for its coffee subscribers.

It has begun selling packaged goods in leading supermarkets and expanded into roadside franchisee partnerships with motorway services operator Moto and forecourt operator MFG.

Pret, which cut thousands of jobs after sales dropped during the pandemic, is planning to open more than 200 UK shops and expand into five new markets, including Canada and Kuwait, by the end of 2023.

Image: photocritical / Shutterstock