Pret to trial ‘shop-in-shops’ in Tesco as it looks to reach wider customer base

The food-to-go and cafe business will then open a further three stores by the end of the summer, trialling different formats both in London and further afield.

All shops will serve a menu of Pret’s food and beverages, all prepared in on-site kitchens throughout the day.

The move is the next step in its partnership with Tesco after it began selling bake-at-home frozen croissants and granolas in its supermarkets last year.

Pret said sales from this venture had exceeded targets, with customers calling the range “game-changing” on social media.

The chain took a huge blow during the coronavirus pandemic as its city-centre locations experienced a lack of custom from office workers who had switched to home-working.

Pret has since set out on a transformation plan to turn things around and make its cafes and products more accessible.

Chief executive Pano Christou said: “Last year, we set ourselves the challenge of bringing Pret to more people. Since then, we’ve launched and grown our Pret-at-Home range, bringing the joy of Pret to people’s homes across the country.

“Now we’re taking this further and bringing the experience of Pret to select Tesco stores, making it even easier for customers to enjoy our freshly made food and organic coffee as part of their regular Tesco shop. 

“As the UK emerges from lockdown, this partnership with Tesco is one way in which we’re transforming our business model to adjust to a new way of living and working. We look forward to working with the Tesco team on this partnership.”