// Pret a Manger to open stores in Tesco supermarkets as part of a trial
// The first concession will launch in June at the Tesco superstore in Kensington, West London
// The shops will all be operated as concessions run by Pret rather than by Tesco
Pret a Manger is reportedly set to open stores in Tesco supermarkets as part of a trial in an effort to broaden its appeal.
The coffee chain’s chief executive Pano Christou said he wanted to “bring Pret to the people” with the trial partnership.
The first concession will launch in June at the Tesco superstore in Kensington, West London, with another four to follow this summer, The Times reported.
READ MORE: Pret A Manger strikes deal to sell baked treats in Tesco stores
The Tesco sites will serve food freshly prepared in an on-site kitchen as well as coffee and teas prepared by baristas.
The shops will all be operated as concessions run by Pret rather than by Tesco.
It comes after Pret rolled out frozen croissants and granolas in Tesco stores as it sought to expand the brand.
New owner JAB Holding Company, which snapped up the company for £1.5 billion in 2018, has slashed over 3000 jobs and closed more than two dozen stores as a result.
It currently has 389 stores in the UK and 157 overseas, mainly in the US, Hong Kong and France.
Pret has already launched a £20-a-month subscription, which gives customers up to five coffees a day, in an effort to attract more trade.
Christou said the Tesco partnership was part of Pret’s response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw a sharp decline in commuters into London in particular, due to lockdowns.
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