British sandwich-shop chain Pret A Manger opened its first outlet in the Asian market in the International Finance Centre (IFC) in Central Hong Kong yesterday [Tuesday].
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The company’s expansion plans focus on the city’s business districts, with six shops planned for 2002.
Andrew Rolfe, chairman and CEO of Pret A Manger, commented: “We selected Hong Kong not only because it is Asia’s leading city and financial centre but because it embodies what Pret A Manger is all about. Hong Kong, like London and New York, is a city that innovates, demands excellent standards and has an unstoppable energy and passion for life.”
Over the last six months, Pret A Manger in Hong Kong has created a menu specifically geared to Hong Kong with at least 20% of the menu made up of local recipes. Key UK managers have been transferred to help with these tasks, sourcing and training local suppliers according to the company’s standards.
Pret A Manger was one of the first food companies in London to offer its unsold sandwiches, baguettes and wraps at the end of each day to local charities, including Crisis, the homeless charity. This commitment will continue in Hong Kong offering unsold products to the St. James Settlement, a support organisation for the city’s underprivileged.
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By GlobalDataExpansion plans are now underway to take Pret A Manger into its third international market. Pret A Manger and McDonald’s Company Japan, a publicly listed company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, last week announced a joint venture to establish Pret A Manger shops in Japan. The Joint Venture, Pret A Manger Japan, will be responsible for the opening and management of all Pret A Manger shops in this new market. The shops will be consistent with existing shops, providing a selection of high quality, fresh, natural, handmade food for the breakfast and lunchtime markets.
Rolfe commented: “We are excited about Pret A Manger Japan and our partnership with McDonald’s Company Japan and their President Den Fujita. Tokyo and Japan hold tremendous potential for Pret A Manger and our new partners have an extraordinary track record of introducing and developing new brands to this exciting market. In fact, we feel confident that Pret A Manger has the capacity to be bigger in Japan than in the UK. Like us the Japanese are passionate about fresh, healthy food and are always open to new ideas.”
Since the mid 1990s, the company’s growth has been rapid. Now Pret A Manger has over 120 shops in the UK and New York, sells over 28 million sandwiches a year and employs more than 2,200 people.
