Costa Coffee’s sales were up by 22.1% and 6.7% like-for-like in the 50 weeks to 15 February 2007, parent Whitbread said last week.

In a trading update, Alan Parker, chief executive said a rapid expansion was continuing at Costa and sister company Premier Travel Inn. He said: "The food offer has been improved and 185 new stores have been opened, including 78 equity and 107 franchise stores, 64 of which were overseas."

Overall sales for the group, which also includes David Lloyd Leisure, during the same period grew by 10.3% and like-for-like by 4.3%.Whitbread will announce its preliminary results for the 52 weeks to 1 March 2007 on 24 April.

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