Costa Coffee, the café chain owned by leisure group Whitbread, this morning said like-for-like sales had increased by 3.8% for the brand in the 13 weeks to 1 December 2011.

The company, which recently unveiled a change in the management of its international operations, also reported total sales were up in the same period by 25.2% and that it was on track to meet its expectations for the full year.

For 39 weeks to the same date Costa’s like-for-likes were 5.6%.

Andy Harrison, chief executive of Whitbread, said: “Whitbread continues to deliver strong growth with total sales up 11.4%, driven by our leading brands.”

Earlier this week, Costa revealed it would be split itself into four divisions in a bid to bring “greater focus” to the fast-growing business. From 1 January, the brand will be split into Costa UK Retail; Costa Europe, Middle East and India; Costa Asia; and Costa Enterprises, with each division having its own managing director.

Adrian Johnson, the chain’s chief operating officer for the UK will become managing director of Costa UK Retail. The division will comprise all of the group’s stores in the UK.

Andy Marshall, the current chief operating officer of Costa Coffee International, becomes managing director of Costa Europe, Middle East and India, while Paul Smith, who currently oversees the group’s operations in Asia, will take up the role of managing director for the region.

Jim Slater, currently marketing director for Costa in the UK, has been promoted to managing director for Costa Enterprises, which oversees the group’s wholesale operation and Costa Express, its vending machine brand.

Costa currently operates around 2,000 sites globally, comprising around 1,300 in the UK and a further 700 or so internationally. It opened its 2,000th store worldwide in central Leeds earlier this year.

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