Star Pubs & Bars is investing £250,000 in the next six months in the launch of its largest ever food programme, Star Food, which has been created to help ensure all Star pubs sell food and that it accounts for 50% of the overall sales mix by 2020.
Focus on food sales growth
The programme will receive continued investment and development over the next five years to enable lessees to deliver on trend, profitable, quality food offers which Star Pubs & Bars believes are critical to strong, sustainable pub businesses.
Star Food revolutionises the company’s approach to food, focusing the business on food sales growth. It impacts on every area from kitchen design and menu support to forecasting food trends and training and extends support to include more experienced food operators, head chefs and high quality food pubs.
New initiatives
Developed following eight months of research amongst lessees and chefs from around the country and planning with leading food and catering experts, Star Food will benefit lessees with a host of new initiatives in 2015 including:
- five new menus focused on premiumising food: rangingfrom a traditional British heritageto a premium quality pub food menu. Each comes with a support package worth £2,000 including menu artwork and print, POS, spec book, costings and allergen information.
- a Star Food folder providing a comprehensive food support package for lessees: including up coming food trends, “how to” training guides on common issues such as increasing speed of service, supplier offers, HACCP and allergen information.
- free and subsidised consultancy from independent training chefs for pubs requiring specialist one to one support.
- a portfolio of kitchen specifications tailored to different pub food offers and volumes developed with industry experts using the latest equipment and techniques for capex sites.
- craft food workshops for lessees and chefs to extend their culinary skills.
- head chefs academy covering commercial kitchen skills such as supplier negotiation and GPs.
- premiumised ‘start up’ food packages for pubs not currently offering food.
- regional lessee food forums.
Two-day training to start long-term campaign
Star Food was unveiled this week at a two-day company event which provided training for everyone in the business interfacing with lessees from BDMs to property staff.
Says Star Pubs & Bars trading director Chris Jowsey, “It’s no longer good enough for pubs simply to offer food and expect growth; Star Food is designed to give our lessees a competitive advantage in an already aggressive market place, where consumers are demanding great value yet more premium food and drink.
“We have spent time with lessees from all types of food operation listening to their needs and how best we can support them, whether it’s with providing commercial master classes for head chefs at established food pubs or independent food consultancy for those requiring specific assistance.
“Our Star Food 2015 activity is just the start of what will be a determined, focused long term campaign to drive food sales and footfall across the Star Pubs and Bars estate.”