Exclusive – Richard Hodgson steps down as CEO of YO! owner Wonderfield Group: Richard Hodgson has stepped down as chief executive of Wonderfield Group, formerly Snowfox Group – the multi-channel and international Japanese food business that owns brands including YO! Sushi, Panku, Bento and Taiko – after the company recently made changes to its management structure, Propel has learned. Alongside Hodgson, chief financial officer Tim Everitt, chief development officer Christian Haas, and David Hampton, managing director Europe, have also left the business as a result of the new management structure. Hodgson, who was formerly chief executive of PizzaExpress, was appointed chief executive of the then Mayfair Equity Partners-backed YO! Sushi at the end of 2017. In 2019, the former commercial director of Morrisons and Waitrose oversaw the acquisition of Snowfox, one of the largest operators and owners of franchised sushi kiosks in the US, creating one of the largest Japanese food companies outside Japan. In June 2021, the business changed its name to the Snowfox Group, to reflect the rapid growth of its US operations, with circa 75% of its then profits coming from the US. In June 2023, the business was acquired by Japanese foodservice company Zensho Holdings, in a deal valued at $621m (£494.5m). It rebranded as the Wonderfield Group last year. Under the new structure, its UK and Europe business has been combined and managed under one regional lead, reporting directly to Zensho’s headquarters in Tokyo. Similarly, the North American business is being managed by another regional lead, also reporting directly to Tokyo. With this, Hodgson has taken the decision to step down as chief executive after eight years with the group. The company told Propel: “In this role, Richard was responsible for leading the group's strategic and operational management, overseeing multi-disciplinary teams, driving organisational performance, and representing the company to key stakeholders, partners, and clients. During his tenure, Richard made significant contributions in areas such as business development and revenue growth, consistently demonstrating leadership, professionalism, and commitment.” At the same time, Propel has learned Will Human has been appointed as Wonderfield Group, chief executive UK & Europe. Human joined the business in 2022 and has been overseeing the UK business over the last two years. He said: “Demand for Japanese food has been growing fast across the world because it's healthy, nutritious, delicious, and gives the consumer a different option to what they have been eating for years. I am very excited about the future of the Wonderfield Group, and I'm looking forward to working with a very talented team to continue to grow the business across the region, delivering really high quality, fresh Japanese food to consumers through our multi-channel approach.” Wonderfield Group said: “Wonderfield Group wants to express its sincere gratitude to Richard and his team for their dedicated service. Their contributions and achievements have laid the foundations for future growth as we continue to evolve the business further into the future. We wish them every success in the future. At the same time, we congratulate Will and look forward to working with him in his new role within the group.” Wonderfield’s brands are currently in more than 7,000 retail locations across the UK. The company’s in-store kiosk footprint currently stands at 520 – with another 30 added over the past 12 months. This summer, Propel revealed Wonderfield Group was considering options for more than a third of its 53-strong YO! Sushi estate in the UK. The group was assessing the future of up to 20 YO! restaurant sites across England and Scotland, with sites in Brighton and Worcester among those subsequently closed. In July, the company opened two new restaurants at Heathrow airport. The business said its “significant multimillion-pound restaurant refurbishment programme” was ongoing. It said: “On the back of successful refurbishments at Bluewater, Meadowhall and Heathrow T2 and T3 last year, YO! will refurbish at least five more restaurants in the coming year.”

UK pension funds eye stake in Center Parcs: Some of Britain's biggest public sector pension schemes are in talks to take a stake in Center Parcs as its Canadian owner finalises a recapitalisation of the holiday parks company. Sky News reported that bodies including the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF), the London-based Local Pension Partnership and the Edinburgh-based Lothian Pension Scheme are among those which have been in negotiations about buying between 15% and 20% of the company. The GMPF, which is part of the Northern Local Government Pension Scheme, is the UK's single-biggest biggest local government pension scheme, with well over £30bn under management and responsibility for the retirement savings of more than 430,000 members. City sources said that the Universities Superannuation Scheme, which manages the pensions of university lecturers, had also been involved in the discussions, although it was unclear whether it would be part of the final syndicate of backers. Center Parcs will be valued at approximately £4.5bn as part of the process, which is expected to conclude during the first quarter of 2026. The Chinese sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corporation, which is already a shareholder in Center Parcs, may invest more capital into the leisure group, according to insiders. The process, which has been initiated by Center Parcs' Canadian owner, Brookfield Asset Management, would reflect a push by the Treasury to see more of British pension funds' capital invested in UK assets. Brookfield is expected to remain the majority owner after the Center Parcs refinancing process has been completed. Center Parcs operates five UK sites and the latest addition to its portfolio, at Longford Forest in Ireland. The company recently won planning permission to build a new £450m site in the Scottish Borders. The group reported turnover increased 4.4% to £734.8m for the year ending 18 April 2025 compared with £704.4m the previous year. Ebitda was up to a record £319.5m from £310.5m the year before, “proving resilience of our premium offering despite challenging market conditions”. Center Parcs features in the Premium Club Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the latest edition of which features 1,194 companies. Center Parcs’ turnover of £734.8m is the 22nd highest in the database. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Propel Premium for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or a supplier. The single subscription rate is £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to upgrade your subscription.