UK firms cut more than 106,000 jobs amid coronavirus pandemic August 19, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has battered the UK economy since it arrived in early 2020 – and no sector has remained unscathed, with more than 100,000 job cuts planned during the pandemic. The government’s furlough scheme has allowed millions of people to keep getting a paycheck, but fears are growing that when this is phased out [...]
Coming 2 America: Eddie Murphy sequel is past its best March 4, 2021 COVID may have scuppered many studios’ plans, but Paramount Pictures made the best of unforeseen circumstances, selling many titles to streaming services including comedy sequel Coming 2 America. The follow up to the 1988 Eddie Murphy hit was purchased by Amazon for a reported $125m, believed to be a record for streaming rights. A sequel [...]
DEBATE: With the launch of KFC’s vegan burger, is it smart for fast-food brands to move into veganism? June 19, 2019 With the launch of KFC’s vegan burger, is it smart for fast-food brands to move into veganism? Caroline Dilloway, client service director at StormBrands, says YES. The new vegan burger is undoubtedly a smart move for KFC, and it won’t be the last fast-food brand to move into this space. The incredible rise of consumers [...]
Going on holiday is a chance for a much-needed screen-break, so feast your ears on these podcasts instead July 23, 2019 Just admit it, we are totally dependent on our digital devices. People in the UK now check their smartphones, on average, every 12 minutes of the waking day, according to a worrying 2018 report from media watchdog Ofcom. This is likely to be even worse for business people, with a deluge of emails tiring our [...]
The business case for the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity June 17, 2019 It’s that time of the year again, when some of us in the advertising industry like to start grumbling about the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which begins today. Too big. Too busy. Too expensive. Our industry’s most prestigious awards and stage seems to be a topic of endless conversations and controversy. A couple [...]
Magic touch: Greene King appoints Merlin exec as new boss January 15, 2019 Brewer Greene King said today that Nick Mackenzie would join as new chief executive in May from Madame Tussauds-owner Merlin Entertainments. Mackenzie will replace Rooney Anand in the top job and join Greene King’s board on 1 May. At Merlin he is a member of the executive committee and is responsible for the Midway portfolio [...]
Travel food operator SSP sees sales rise despite yellow vest protests January 17, 2019 Travel food operator SSP posted a rise in sales for the first quarter, despite seeing its European sales pulled down by protests in France. SSP, which runs food concessions in airports and railway stations, said total revenues rose 7.7 per cent in the three months to the end of December, with like-for-like sales up 2.5 [...]
Pret a Manger private equity owner Bridgepoint confirms Burger King UK franchise buyout November 16, 2017 Pret a Manger owner Bridgepoint has confirmed that it will become the master franchisee of the Burger King brand in the UK. Reaching an agreement for an undisclosed amount with Burger King Europe, Bridgepoint will also acquire Caspian UK Group, one of the UK’s largest Burger King franchisees with 74 restaurants across the country. The [...]
How to eat well during a pandemic, from pre-mixed cocktails to Michelin home delivery November 11, 2020 Another endless week approaches its inglorious mid-season finale. But what do we have to look forward to in the barren cultural landscape of November 2020? Well, restaurants may be closed but many canny entrepreneurs have turned their empty kitchens into home delivery hubs, allowing you to feast like it’s 1999, or indeed 2019. Each week [...]
Investors demand environment action from KFC, McDonald’s and Domino’s January 29, 2019 A group of investors representing over $6.5 trillion (£4.9bn) in assets has today demanded more transparency and commitments to tackling emissions from fast food chains Domino’s and McDonald’s. An open letter from investors including BMO Global and Aviva has called on the restaurants to publish plans to tackle the environmental risks from their suppliers by [...]