Pret A Manger to trial petrol station stores in the UK

Pret A Manger has embarked on a major diversification strategy in recent months as it seeks to broaden its traditional London-centric customer base 

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The first store will be trialled at the MFG-operated BP petrol station in Southgate, London, and will serve a range of on-site prepared sandwiches and barista-prepared coffee designed to emulate Pret A Manger’s standard in-store proposition.

MFG describes itself at the largest independent forecourt operator in the UK, with more than 900 sites across the country operating under the BP, Shell, Esso, Texaco, JET and Murco fuel brands.

“We are delighted to have partnered with Motor Fuel Group so that more people can access Pret’s freshly made food and organic coffee when they are on the move”, said Clare Clough, UK Managing Director, Pret A Manger.

“Since the start of the pandemic, we have looked for innovative ways to bring Pret to more people, and partnerships, such as this one, are an important part of this strategy. We hope that customers will enjoy this new concept and we look forward to working more closely with the MFG team in the coming months,” she added.
 
The partnership comes hot on the heels of Pret A Manger’s store concession partnership with UK supermarket Tesco. The JAB Holdings-controlled coffee and food-to-go chain has embarked on a major diversification strategy in recent months as it seeks to broaden its customer base following severe disruption to office worker and commuter hub trade during the pandemic.
 
In November 2020, the coffee chain partnered with UK supermarket Waitrose and online giant Amazon to sell branded retail packaged coffee direct to consumers. It has also established a delivery service with third-party providers Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats and has trialled a ‘Dinner by Pret’ at-home food proposition.
 
In September 2020, Pret launched ‘YourPret Barista’, a coffee subscription service offering up to five barista-made coffees, teas, and hot chocolates per day for a £20 ($26) monthly subscription, in the UK.