There’s an old saying in London – you’re never more than 6ft from a rat and 50m from a Pret a Manger. But the popular high street sandwich chain has struggled in recent years with consumers abandoning ship. With a rising tide of debts, it has now recalled its initial founder, Sinclair Beecham, to the top table in order to steady the ship.
One of its main competitors, Greggs, however has been doing better than ever. So why the huge disparity in the fortunes of these two high street staples? Strong brand partnerships with outlets like Primark, a late-opening store in Leicester Square, and a keenly recognisable brand identity have ensured its continuous rise.
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The contrasts between the two are clear. If both continue down this path, the Northern delight that is Greggs will likely cement itself at the top of the food chain while Pret’s struggles will only worsen.
it’s not hard, but Pret for example is run under private equity greed. It will never be enough for them. Pret are mismanaged, and £700 million in debt, bringing back RE-co-founder Sinclair Beecham to help fix the mess. I write on Pret from an inside point of view and how fake, dishoneest and toxic they are.
Some bad press lately, but there’s more; https://expret.org/2024/02/24/bad-press-for-pret
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