Pret A Manger partnership marks Reliance Brands' foray into F&B sector

Reliance Brands (RBL) has forayed into food and beverages retail space by entering into a long-term franchise partnership with Pret A Manger — a global fresh food and organic coffee chain.

RBL will open the food chain across the country, starting with major cities and travel hubs, the company said in a statement. 

Pret A Manger first opened in London in 1986 and has 550 shops globally across nine markets, including the UK, US, Europe, and Asia, offering organic coffee, sandwiches, salads and wraps. 

“As India’s largest luxury to premium retailer, RBL has over 14 years nurtured and grown global brands in the country. With its rich cache of insights on customers’ evolving spending habits and an ambitious expansion plan, RBL’s first foray into the food industry will bring the much-loved Pret dining experience to one of the biggest retail markets,” RBL said in a statement.

“Our partnership with Pret is rooted in the strong growth potential of both Pret as a brand and also of the food & beverage industry in India,” Darshan Mehta, MD, RBL, said in the statement.

He added, “RBL closely follows the pulse of Indian consumers and there is an increased consciousness of what we eat – rapidly making food the new fashion.” 

“Like elsewhere in the world, Indians are seeking fresh and organic ingredient-led dining experiences, which have been synonymous with Pret’s core offering. Couple that with the high recall the brand enjoys in the country, it’s undoubtedly a recipe for success,” Mehta said. 

Pano Christou, CEO, Pret A Manger, said, “Two decades ago, we opened Pret’s first shop in Asia and it’s been an inspiration for all of us to bring our freshly made food and 100 per cent organic coffee to new cities across the continent.” 

He said RBL was a great partner as it brings in their years of expertise in the market to help the food and coffee chain brand succeed in India. “We’re looking forward to working with them on what is our most ambitious global franchise partnership to date,” Christou said. 

In 2019, RBL marked its first international foray by acquiring the British toy retailer, Hamleys. Globally, Hamleys has 213 doors across 15 countries.

RBL is a subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures and began operations in 2007 with a mandate to launch and build global brands in luxury to premium segments across fashion and lifestyle. In the past five years, RBL has invested in building and operating homegrown Indian designer brands.

Its portfolio includes brands like Armani Exchange, Bally, Bottega Veneta, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Manish Malhotra, among others. 

THE PORTFOLIOS 

Pret A Manger: 550 shops globally across 9 markets, including the UK, the US, Europe, and Asia

RBL: 1,937 shopping points — 732 stores and 1,205 shop-in-shops in India

• In 2019, RBL marked its first foray into the international market by acquiring British toy retailer Hamleys