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Greggs – anticipates that full-year operating profit could be modestly below that achieved in 2024: Greggs has said that in light of current trading conditions it now anticipates that its full-year operating profit could be modestly below that achieved in 2024. The company said: “The board expects first half operating profit to be lower than H1 2024, reflecting the stronger comparative trading performance in H1 2024 and the phasing of refurbishments and cost recovery initiatives across the current year. For the full year, our cost inflation outlook remains unchanged and planned cost mitigation measures are expected to enhance second half performance. Whilst acknowledging that comparative like-for-like sales are less demanding in the second half of the year, in light of the current trading conditions the board now anticipates that the full year operating profit could be modestly below that achieved in 2024.” It comes as the business reported that its sale climbed 6.9% to £1.027bn in the 26 weeks ended 28 June 2025. It reported 2.6% like-for-like sales growth for the period, with good progress in May followed by slower growth in June as high temperatures impacted consumer purchasing patterns. In the first half of 2025 the company opened 87 new shops and closed 56 shops, leaving a total of 2,649 shops trading as at 28 June (comprising 2,085 company-managed shops and 564 franchised units). It said it remained confident in achieving 140 to 150 net openings for the full year. Refurbishment activity has been biased to the first half of 2025, with 108 refits being completed in H1 and around 50 more planned for the second half of the year.

Premium Club subscribers to receive new searchable and segmented New Openings Database on Friday, videos from Multi-Club Conference on Friday, 11 July: The next Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers on Friday (4 July), at noon. The database will show the details of 153 site openings, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. The database will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published on a monthly basis and Premium Club subscribers will also receive a 9,983-word report on the 153 new additions to the database. The database is segmented into seven categories – cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars, and quick service restaurants – making it even easier for users to search. The database includes new openings in the cafe bakery sector such as Norfolk artisan bakery Bread Source opening in historic country house Wolterton Hall, Margot Green in London’s Clapham by Australian restaurant group Daisy Green Collection, and Cuppa Chai, opening at Vauxhall station in the capital. Premium Club subscribers will also receive all the videos from the Propel Multi-Club Conference – female leaders and entrepreneurs on Friday, 11 July. They include Carol Campbell, managing director of Stonegate Group, talking about her “squiggly journey” of 28 years working across retailers in three continents, and Kate Eastwood, managing director of Lounges, and Lucy Knowles, managing director of Cosy Club, jointly presenting their key learning advice, hacks, and tips to becoming a managing director. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events including the Operational Excellence Conference this month and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club subscribers will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers. Premium Club subscribers also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel group editor Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Esquires owner reports 27.8% increase in Q1 sales: Cooks Coffee Company, owner of the Esquires brand, has reported that its group systemwide store sales in the UK and Ireland increased 27.8% to £10.2m in the first quarter of the financial year ending 31 March 2026 (Q1 FY25: £8m), reflecting strong trading momentum. The business said that UK systemwide sales were up 29.7% in the period, with like-for-like sales up 2.8%. Seven new stores opened during the quarter, with one closure, bringing the total UK store count to 77 as at 30 June 2025. It said that Ireland systemwide store sales increased 23.4%, with like-for-like sales up 6.6%. Store numbers remained at 18, with one new large store opening in Mallow, County Cork and the planned closure of a small store in Castlecomer, County Kilkenny. The company said that the new Mallow store, located in Dairygold Co-op Super Store Garden Centre, has “performed exceptionally well”, becoming the group’s top-performing store globally by sales. Total group sites increased to 95 across the UK and Ireland as at 30 June 2025, up from 89 at 31 March 2025. The company said it had a strong pipeline of new stores anticipated in the UK, with opportunities in additional geographies actively being explored. Aiden Keegan, chief executive of Cooks Coffee Company, said: “We are pleased to report another strong period of trading across our growing estate. It is encouraging to see the continued demand for our offering and we remain committed to reaching over 100 stores operating in the UK and Ireland by the end of this calendar year. With the anticipated growth of our store network and the strong trading momentum across the group, we are confident about the future prospects.”