Pret a Manger
 |
|
| Private | |
| Industry | Retail outlets |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founders | Julian Metcalfe, Sinclair Beecham |
| Headquarters | City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom |
|
Number of locations
|
 374 (April 2015) |
|
Area served
|
United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong, China, France, United Arab Emirates |
|
Key people
|
Clive Schlee (CEO), Nicholas Candler (COO) |
| Products | Sandwiches, salads, sushi, soups, coffees and snacks |
| Revenue |
£ 510 Million (2013) |
|
£ 41 Million (2013) |
|
| Owner | Bridgepoint Capital |
| Website | http://www.pret.co.uk |
Pret a Manger /ˈprɛt ə ˈmɑːnʒeɪ/ is a sandwich shop chain based in the United Kingdom.
Pret A Manger was founded by Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham. They opened their first Pret A Manger shop in July 1986, located at 173 Victoria Street in London. Beecham and Metcalfe met while studying at University. Their company claims they "created the sort of food they craved but could not find anywhere else."
The name, from the French prêt à manger, meaning ‘ready to eat’, was inspired by a French delicatessen Metcalfe and Beecham saw that had closed down on Hampstead High Street owned by Jeffery Hyman.
The pair pioneered Pret’s menu of freshly made natural food and are still significant shareholders in the company 30 years on.
In 2001, McDonald's bought a 33% non-controlling stake in the USA branch of the company, which they sold in 2008 to private equity firm Bridgepoint Capital, owners of clothing retailer Fat Face.
In 2011, its sales were £377 million.
The menu includes sandwiches, baguettes, pots and desserts, cold drinks, hot drinks, crisps and bakery items, as well as sushi, salads, soups, and cakes.
The company emphasises the use of natural ingredients and advertises all sandwiches are made on the day of purchase in a kitchen at each location (with the stated exception of a few small outlets). Food left unsold at the end of the day is collected by charities. Sandwiches are packaged in paperboard rather than sealed plastic.
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Wikipedia