'Peasant food' is best-seller at Orchid

Rufus Hall, chief executive of 299-strong Orchid, told the summit its food offer, inspired by ‘peasant food’ — pizza and Asian fare — boasts the highest gross profits (GPs) in the company.

Orchid has 20 or so Bar Room Bar sites focused on pizza and a host of Dragon pubs that combine British pub fare with a Thai and Asian food offering.

Speaking at the UK Pub Retail Summit in London (27 September), Hall said: “The highest GPs are inspired by peasant food. Food turnover as a percentage of total turnover has risen to 43% compared with 28% when Orchid was founded in 2006.

“We call it peasant food as a Thai curry will contain a small amount of meat with lots of veg and rice. It doesn’t cost a lot.”

He noted the importance of provenance and said delegates should look to Morrisons for inspiration as it focuses on selling quality British food.