Ping Pong to accelerate restaurant expansion
The privately owned group said it was preparing to launch Now by Ping Pong – a smaller takeaway style outlet opposite Liverpool station in London later this year.
The group has previously offered takeaway from its restaurants for the past 12 months – but this is its first takeaway bespoke outlet.
UK restaurant expansion
Jean-Michel Orieux said the company was also looking at further sites in the UK – after taking a hiatus from openings in 2009 because of not finding the right sites.
“We did not take a break from opening UK sites, we just could not find anything suitable," he said. "That is what is so good about Now by Ping Pong – in that it gives us the opportunity to look for smaller sites if we wish.
“We are waiting for accounts to be signed off but from a conservative perspective sales are up by 6 per cent and earnings – including our underlying profits are up in the region of 15 per cent.”
Ping Pong currently operates 12 sites at Appold Street, Bow Bells House, Goodge Street, Hampstead, Market Place, Marylebone, St Christopher’s Place, St Katherine’s Place, Soho, South Bank, Spitalfields and Westbourne Grove.
The group said it was also close to signing on second sites in Washington and Sao Paulo in Brazil and was also actively looking for franchise partners in Bahrain, Lebanon and Oman.
Martyn Leek is editor of BigHospitality's sister publication M&C Report.
