Boparan to enter supermarket space with food hall openings

Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG), which brands including Carluccio’s, Ed’s Diner and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, is set to enter the supermarket sector.

The move follows Sainsbury’s’ decision to axe 200 cafes, 34 hot food counters and 54 bakeries from its stores as part of a cost-cutting drive.

BRG will enter the space by opening food halls in 30 Sainsbury’s outlets.

Satnam Leihal, chief executive of BRG: said: “This gives customers choice that never existed before.

“We are totally focused on improving what we can deliver for our customers and, at the same time, working hard to make our business simpler.”

The supermarket giant also said it wwill double the number of Starbucks venues in its stores to 60.

The move has been slammed by unions, who say that Sainsbury “must rule out compulsory redundancies” in the affected stores.

Unite national officer for food, drink and agriculture, Bev Clarkson, said: “Our members showed great loyalty to Sainsbury’s during the pandemic. They served their communities during lockdown and ensured Sainsbury’s flourished when other businesses flatlined.

“Now Sainsbury’s must repay them by keeping job losses to an absolute minimum and ruling out compulsory redundancies. Staff that transfer to new café operators must have their wages and terms and conditions protected. Those that want to stay with Sainsbury’s need to be provided with new roles in the company.

“Unite is there to defend our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and that is exactly what we will be doing at Sainsbury’s.”