We are thrilled that Pret A Manger just let us know that not only is ‘Veggie Pret’ going to be permanent they are also looking to open more veggie only shops too. What an amazing success!
Karin Ridgers founder of VV TV and vegan adviser to Center Parcs says;
“It is no surprise and other restaurants and cafes must take note. There has never been a time like this for vegan friendly foods and the vegan lifestyle. More and more people want to know how their food reached their plates and make kinder and healthier choices.”
Pret A Manger CEO, Clive Schlee, has announced on his blog this morning that the company’s vegetarian pop up will remain a permanent fixture on Broadwick Street in Soho.
Due to the overwhelming success of ‘Veggie Pret’, the company has also announced it could open further vegetarian-only shops in the future.
Schlee writes on his blog:
Twelve weeks ago, we opened Veggie Pret as a month-long pop up in Soho. We were so overwhelmed by the public response that we kept it open for the Summer. I can now tell you that we’ve taken the decision to keep it open for ever(!) And, if we can, to open more Veggie Pret shops in the future.
What is it about the shop that has struck such a chord? Clearly, the move towards a plant-based diet is gathering momentum, especially among millennials. Vegetarians and vegans are an articulate and social media-savvy group. Many of you have been advocating eating less meat for years and have been thrilled to see a major UK business take up the cause.
We are now debating where to open the second Veggie Pret. The odds are that it will be a visible corner in the City of London, where we can convert an existing shop to a pop up and see if it resonates with city workers before deciding whether or not to make it permanent. I hope we can bring Veggie Pret to more cities in due course.
Veggie Pret in numbers:
- Nearly 10,000 customers voted in a poll last year to shape Pret’s veggie offering
- Veggie Pret was intended to be open for 1 month. It was extended through summer due to demand
- Over 45 brand new vegetarian and vegan recipes were developed for Veggie Pret
- The shop’s sales were expected to drop 30% when it became veggie…they actually grew!
- The top 8 best-selling products have been vegan-friendly
- More than 50% of Veggie Pret customers say they eat meat regularly
- Over 20,000 customer comments have been received telling Pret whether it has “Hit the Spot” or “Lost the Plot”
Read Clive’s full blog post here – www.pret.co.uk/veggie-pret-is-here-to-stay
To read more about Pret’s Veggie Journey – www.pret.co.uk/ceo-blog-not-just-for-veggies
To read Clive’s early insights on Veggie Pret – www.pret.co.uk/veggie-pret-what-next
It’s a very exciting vegan time!
