Prêt à manger considers
expanding into coffee vending machine
July 30 - 2021 Coffee Geography Magazine
The U.K. based fast food chain carrying its French name prêt à manger meaning “ready to
eat” is now considering to enter into coffee vending machine to widen its product offering through automated
dispensers as the sector suffers from the drop in commuters. The
company filed for a trademark “Pret Express” and was approved by the
Intellectual Property Office showing the name under classes relating to “coffee
vending and dispensing machines” as well as “self-service coffee bars”.
Due to slow down in direct coffee retail business during the
lockdown when office workers and tourists disappeared from city centers, prêt à manger struggled to be
competitive in the food and beverage sector. The company earlier
diversified its activity and range of products by launching a £20 per month
coffee subscription and selling its ground coffee and espresso beans online via
Amazon as well as on supermarket shelves.
The franchise chain popularly referred to as Pret was founded in 1983 and
currently has over 450 shops in nine countries. In September 2018 JAB Holding
Company had acquired Pret A Manger from Bridgepoint. The first shop
outside of London was opened on Broad Street, New York, in 2000. In 2016,
there were 74 Pret shops in the United States.
In
2001, McDonald's bought a 33% non-controlling stake in the company, which
they sold in 2008 to the private equity firm Bridgepoint
Capital.