Pret a Manger facts for kids
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Inside Pret a Manger, Victoria, London
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| Private | |
| Industry | Fast casual restaurant |
| Founded | 21 October 1983 |
| Founder | Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham |
| Headquarters |
London
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UK
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Number of locations
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697 (as of April 2024) |
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Area served
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17 Countries and Regions: UK, US, France, Hong Kong, UAE, Canada, Belgium, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland and Qatar. |
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Key people
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Pano Christou (CEO) |
| Products | Sandwiches, salads, soups, coffees and snacks |
| Revenue |  £790.1 Million (2022) |
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Operating income
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£52.1 Million (2022) |
| Owner | JAB Holding Company |
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Number of employees
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12,000 (2018) |
Pret a Manger is a popular British chain of sandwich shops. Its name comes from French, meaning ready to eat. People often call it simply Pret.
The company started in 1983 and has its main office in London, United Kingdom. As of April 2024, Pret has nearly 700 locations around the world. You can find them in the UK, the US, France, Hong Kong, India, Switzerland, and many other countries.
Contents
Pret's Story: How it Started
Early Days and New Beginnings
The very first Pret a Manger was founded in London on October 21, 1983. The first shop opened in Hampstead, London, in 1984. The name "Prêt à Manger" was inspired by "prêt-à-porter," which means 'ready-to-wear' clothing in French.
The first company faced some challenges and closed down. Later, two university friends, Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe, bought the name and branding. They started a new Pret a Manger in July 1986. Their first shop was on Victoria Street in London.
Growing the Business and Helping Others
Beecham and Metcalfe created Pret's famous menu. It featured handmade, natural food prepared fresh in each shop's kitchen. They remained important owners of the company for a long time.
In 1995, Metcalfe and Beecham started The Pret Foundation. This charity aims to help people facing poverty in the UK. The foundation collects money from shops and uses it to deliver unsold food to homeless shelters. They work with groups like FareShare and The Felix Project. The Pret Foundation has given over £7 million to more than 100 charities.
Expanding Globally and Supporting Communities
Pret opened its first shop outside London in New York City in 2000. By 2016, there were 74 Pret shops across the United States. In 2001, McDonald's bought a part of the company. However, they sold their share in 2008.
In 2008, The Pret Foundation started its "Rising Stars" program. This program helps people at risk of homelessness find stable jobs at Pret shops. It offers training, free travel, and support groups. By 2022, over 600 people had joined "Rising Stars." Many have even become shop managers. A small part of the money from certain menu items, like Christmas sandwiches and soups, goes to The Pret Foundation.
Pret a Manger opened its first shop in France in 2012. By 2022, they had 51 shops there. In 2016, Pret tried something new by opening a vegan and vegetarian shop called Veggie Pret in Soho, London. It was an experiment that became a permanent part of the company.
In September 2018, JAB Holding Company bought Pret a Manger. In 2019, Pret also bought another food chain called Eat. They planned to turn many of its branches into Veggie Pret shops.
During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, Pret had to make some difficult decisions. They reduced their staff in the UK due to a big drop in sales. In April 2022, Pret announced plans to open 20 new shops in Ireland. In April 2023, Pret A Manger opened its first shop in India.
In February 2024, Pret decided to change its Veggie Pret shops back into regular Pret shops. They also announced that they would be lowering the prices of some of their most popular sandwiches.
Where to Find Pret: Locations Worldwide
Pret focuses on using natural ingredients. They say their sandwiches are made fresh each day in a kitchen at every location. Any food that isn't sold by the end of the day is given to charities. Their sandwiches are packaged in paperboard, not plastic.
London is Pret's largest market, with 42% of its stores located there. As of April 2024, Pret has 697 locations worldwide in these places:
- United Kingdom: 498 shops (479 in England, including 291 in London; 17 in Scotland; 2 in Wales; and 1 in Northern Ireland)
- United States: 62 shops (58 on the East Coast; 2 in Chicago; and 2 in Los Angeles)
- France: 48 shops
- Switzerland: 11 shops
- Canada: 5 shops
- Hong Kong: 25 shops
- India: 11 shops
- Ireland: 6 shops
- United Arab Emirates: 7 shops
- Belgium: 1 shop
- Germany: 9 shops
- Kuwait: 6 shops
- Italy: 1 shop
- Luxembourg: 1 shop
- Singapore: 1 shop
- Greece: 1 shop
How Pret Works: Inside the Company
In 1998, Pret employed 1,400 people. Many of them came from other European countries. Pret is quite selective when hiring. Only about 1 in every 14 people who apply get a job. Applicants spend a day working in a shop, and the current staff members vote on whether to hire them. Many managers and senior leaders at Pret started by working in the shops.
Pret's structure is split between its shops and its main offices. The London office manages the UK shops, while the New York City office handles the American shops. Each shop has different roles, from team member to general manager. Above the shop managers are operations managers, who look after about 10 shops. Higher up are senior managers who work from the offices.
Not all office jobs are "above" shop jobs in a strict sense. Communication flows both ways between leaders and the shops. All office employees have a "buddy shop" where they work at least two days a year.
Pret has an internal culture described in a leaflet called "Pret Behaviours." These behaviours focus on things like passion, clear talking, and teamwork. They describe what Pret wants to see in its employees. The number of behaviours an employee should show increases with their rank in the company.
See also
In Spanish: Pret a Manger para niños
