Orchid refurbs top 200
Orchid Group, the managed operator owned by GI Partners, has revealed that it has now completed 208 refurbishments in 18 months since it was set up.
Food mix within the Orchid portfolio is up by 5% overall - moving from 37% to 42% - in the past 12 months, with particular segments showing substantial transition.
Orchid's Contemporary Carveries, for example, have seen a dramatic increase in food sales from 50:50 equal share between food and wet sales to a 65:35 split (food:wet).
To acknowledge this new and strong food-led slant to its business, Orchid is launching a new strapline - "Orchid pubs & dining".
This will be featured across all marketing materials as well as internal communications.
The existing strands of Orchid's business portfolio will be divided into five operating divisions - the latter four of which will be food-led.
They are:
•Free Houses (including Independent Locals and Modern British) - offering the home from home experience.
•Free House Dining (Mid Market Dining) - value family fun.
•Contemporary Carveries - offering fresh, local and seasonal produce.
•Contemporary Dining (including Dragons and Contemporary Dining) - the former offering a fusion of a British pub with authentic Thai dining; the latter offering fresh, local, seasonal produce in the heart of the community.
•The Oriental Restaurant Group - London oriental cuisine eateries.
New "heads of preparations" have been appointed to head up the five operational divisions.
Chief executive Rufus Hall said: "It's easy to forget Orchid has only been in existence 18 months, and all the exceptional things we have achieved is entirely down to the quality and passion of all our people.
"2008 looks set to be another very exciting year for us."
