Leon unveils new growth plans
Leon has unveiled details of its new growth strategy as it looks to more than double the pace of its store rollout programme.
The naturally fast food brand is aiming to launch more than 50 restaurants in the next 12 months and create 4,000 jobs over the next three years.
Following its acquisition by EG Group earlier this year, the company said it would open 20 restaurants in 2022. However, the success of new restaurants, such as a first drive-thru and sites in Asda stores in Milton Keynes and Beaconsfield, has led Leon to up its UK expansion.
New restaurants will feature both traditional and new formats including drive-thrus, smaller restaurants on petrol forecourts and Asda premises, and Leon To Go coffee outlets.
As well as focusing in regional growth, the company will for the first time be expanding its footprint across the whole of the country with openings planned in both Scotland and Wales for early 2022. It is also setting its sights on international expansion with its own restaurants in the Netherlands. This will be followed by around ten further openings in the country in advance of a wider European expansion programme.
Glenn Edwards, managing director of Leon restaurants, said: “We are very excited to announce a significant acceleration of Leons expansion. For the first time we will be taking Leon across the country, driving regional growth at speed. The new formats in this rollout will build on our traditional restaurants and form a base for further growth.
“Making Leon even more accessible is at the heart of this strategic expansion. We are absolutely focused on delivering for our customers and living up to Leon’s mission – making it easier for everybody to eat well, live well and be kind to the planet.”
Leon will also be investing in its digital platforms by installing new digital kiosks and menu screens and giving customers the ability to order remotely without a queue, whether in a restaurant, car, or at home. In addition, the company will be expanding its Leon at Home range.
Mohsin Issa and Zuber Issa, co-founders and co-chief executives of EG Group, said: “When EG Group purchased Leon this year, we saw a great brand with substantial potential for growth. We’re pleased that the business is now set to deliver on that promise, both in the UK and Europe. Our investment in Leon, coupled with EG’s unparalleled operational excellence in foodservice operations, is unlocking considerable value and will help to deliver significant future growth and continue the diversification of EG’s business.”
