Orchid Group is celebrating fantastic results across the board for its carvery pubs, showing that British produce, tradition and value create a winning formula.
Great British Carveries have gone from strength to strength, increasing profit and covers over last year. Providing more, in terms of pub décor and design, food quality and range, service and value, has brought ongoing success for the carvery division. Key results for the carveries division include:
- Covers up over 10% year-on-year
- Total like-for-like sales growth up 3.5%
- Like-for-like food growth year-to-date is at 9.5%
- Over 3 million carveries sold in 2012
- Carvery covers increased to more than 70% of total covers
- Pubs targeted with mid-week price reductions (£5.95) and improved external signage signalling saw an average 20% increase in covers in the last two periods
- Carvery wastage reduced, closing the gap between actual and theoretical margin in 2013 to 0.1%
“We’re absolutely delighted with these results, as it shows what a joined-up strategy between Operations, Commercial and Training can deliver,” says Simon Dodd, Commercial & HR Director at Orchid Group.
Initiatives not discounts that drive additional sales
“Key trading initiatives that have driven additional sales, such as the £5.95 Farm Assured carvery mid-week price reductions, improved external signage, award-winning back and front of house training and targeted awareness campaigns, are going a long way to support and showcase our sector-leading food offer.
“Focusing on our mantra: ‘right manager + right offer + right price = increased sales and profit’ has worked wonders and demonstrates that giving our customers much more for a lower price truly delivers value for money.”
“The fact that we have achieved these impressive results without entering into the world of heavy discounting shows how robust our Great British Carvery offer is and how passionate our managers are in delivering it.”
The best of British
A key driver of the Orchid carvery success story is the focus on the best of British. Great British Carveries have been serving Red Tractor Farm Assured meats since 2007 and have always been proud to serve home-grown produce.
Furthermore, in the last six years Orchid has saved more than 500,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions by purchasing produce in the UK. To absorb this amount of CO2 it would require an area nine times the size of the Isle of Wight to be planted with Maple trees.
Evolving pub design for customers
Focusing on pub’s individual characters and communities has also allowed the division to carve a unique path in the sector. By looking at how best to evolve pub design, such as by putting walls back in to create practical spaces, the carveries have become the “local” for all sorts of customers.
For example, at the Young Pretender in Kings Langley, there can be a group of friends watching the football, business meetings, families dining in the restaurant and a birthday party all under one roof. Each group has a dedicated area that works for their needs, and none feels out-of-place.
Simon explains: “This type of pub creates a warm, welcoming environment for everyone in the local community. Such continued investment in the design, décor and layout of our Great British Carveries shows how much they mean to us and our customers.”
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