Pasty Presto is to up its outlet numbers, as motorway service station area Roadchef has announced it is to trial a franchise of the bakery café chain, with a view to further rolling out the brand across its estate.
Roadchef will be running the trial at three of its sites: Norton Canes, on the M6 Toll, and Sedgemoor and Taunton Deane South, on the M5.
Pastry Presto MD Steve Grocutt told British Baker that the firm had been trying to court the three largest motorway service station operators for a number of years. In July 2009 it opened an outlet at Extra motorway services on the M40 near Beaconsfield its first in the travel-retail sector and the success of this helped the firm get its foot in the door at Roadchef.
"The Beaconsfield outlet allowed the other service station operators to see how the operation worked. Then, at the end of 2010, Roadchef said it would like to trial the franchise operation," said Grocutt. "Including its north- and south-bound services Roadchef has 27 potential locations for us to set up at. However, it’s more likely to be between 10 and 20, if the franchise operation gets rolled out."
Grocutt said one of the key benefits of the new partnership would be the increased exposure of the brand name in areas other than its heartland in the south west. He also confirmed the firm was now in talks with "one of the biggest stadium operators in the country" about a possible partnership deal.
Pasty Presto owns and operates 29 standalone shops in the UK. Its pasties are made to a bespoke recipe by Proper Cornish, with Viennoiserie from French producer Bridor.
At the Roadchef sites the Pasty Presto kiosks will offer a range of pasties, as well as drinks and patisserie.
No comments yet