In its latest trading update, the group reported total sales to be 14 per cent up over the period, a figure mainly attributed to by the success of its Costa brand.
Total sales at Costa increased by 28 per cent over the period, and by 8.3 per cent on last year, with ‘product innovation in both drinks and food’ driving the growth.
In the year to date, Whitbread has opened 55 new Costa outlets in the UK, with a further 43 abroad. In March the brand also launched its first loyalty card
Premier Inn
The group’s budget hotel brand Premier Inn also delivered a strong performance, with like for like sales up 10.7 per cent and total sales up 14.5 per cent. This was attributed to a 9.5 per cent increase in occupancy to 79.2 per cent for the period, and a revPAR growth of 9.8 per cent.
Whitbread also opened nine new hotels, of which six are on joint sites with restaurants, for the year to date.
Whitbread’s pub/restaurants, which include Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table and Taybarns, delivered a 3.9 per cent sales increase on the same period last year.
Alan Parker, chief executive of Whitbread, who will be replaced by former Easyjet boss Andy Harrison on 25 November, said the group’s ‘strong performance’ came as a result of Whitbread’s strategy to increase market share through expansion.
“We will continue to make progress in this “age of austerity” by relentlessly focusing on meeting the needs of our customers. Whitbread is well placed, with the right brands offering value for money in attractive segments of the market which have significant opportunities for future growth.
“We remain confident about the outturn for the year, despite facing tougher comparatives in the second half.”