Pret A Manger

Corporate brand

British-founded international food-to-go chain specializing in freshly prepared sandwiches, salads, hot food and coffee. International sandwich and coffee chain known for fresh, organic ingredients and daily preparation.

Last updated October 13, 2026

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Overview

Pret A Manger, commonly called Pret, is a British-founded multinational food-to-go chain built around freshly prepared sandwiches, salads, wraps, soups, hot meals, snacks, baked goods and coffee. Its name is derived from the French expression for “ready to eat,” and its brand identity has long emphasized food prepared during the day in shop kitchens rather than factory-sealed products. Pret generally positions itself between conventional fast food and casual café dining, with a focus on convenience, visible preparation, natural ingredients and rapid service for commuters, office workers and other urban customers. The business traces its origins to London in 1983, when Jeffrey Hyman established the first operation. The initial venture struggled financially and entered liquidation. Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe, university friends who acquired the name and visual identity from the liquidator for £100, relaunched Pret in 1986 from Victoria Street in London. They developed the operating model that became associated with the chain: sandwiches and other items assembled in individual shops, a compact menu designed for takeaway consumption, and high-volume locations near offices, transport hubs and shopping districts. Pret expanded beyond London in 2000 with its first New York shop. International growth accelerated through a mixture of company-operated stores, joint ventures, franchise arrangements and local partnerships. McDonald’s acquired a non-controlling 33% stake in 2001 and sold it in 2008 to Bridgepoint Capital. JAB Holding Company acquired Pret from Bridgepoint in 2018, bringing the chain into a large private consumer-goods investment group. Pret subsequently expanded through acquisitions and partnerships, including its purchase of the UK chain Eat in 2019 and an Indian launch with Reliance Industries in 2023. The company has also used formats and propositions intended to broaden its customer base. Veggie Pret began as a vegetarian and vegan experiment in Soho in 2016, later gaining additional locations, but the remaining dedicated stores were converted back to the standard Pret format in 2024. Coffee has remained central to the business, supported by subscription and loyalty products such as Club Pret. The company changed Club Pret’s economics in 2024, replacing the former monthly allowance of drinks and food discount with a lower-priced drinks-discount proposition; the change prompted criticism from some customers. Pret’s social initiatives include The Pret Foundation, established in 1995 to address hunger, homelessness and poverty. The foundation supports the redistribution of unsold food and funds charitable programs. Its Rising Stars program, launched in 2008, provides employment, training and practical support to people at risk of homelessness, including former prisoners and refugees. The chain has faced serious criticism over labor practices, emotional-labor expectations, union relations, pricing, subscription advertising and food-allergen controls. The most consequential issues involved the deaths of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse in 2016 and Celia Marsh in 2017 after allergic reactions linked to Pret products. These cases contributed to wider UK debate about allergen labeling and food sold loose or prepacked for direct sale. In 2023, Pret was fined £800,000 after a worker was trapped in a walk-in freezer for more than two hours. The company also reduced its UK workforce substantially during the COVID-19 downturn. As of September 2025, reference material reported 717 locations across 19 countries and territories, including 474 in the United Kingdom and 67 in the United States. In 2025, JAB announced that advisers had been engaged to explore a possible sale or stock-market flotation, but no completed transaction is established here. Pret therefore remained a privately owned, internationally expanding food-to-go brand while continuing to adapt its store formats, pricing, partnerships and digital propositions.

History

Pret’s history began in London in 1983, when Jeffrey Hyman established an early business using the Pret a Manger name. The operation traded from Hampstead but failed to reach break-even and entered liquidation. Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe acquired the name and visual identity from the liquidator for £100 and relaunched the business in July 1986 at 75b Victoria Street. Their model centered on food assembled in shop kitchens, rapid takeaway service and locations serving dense office and commuter markets. The founders expanded Pret beyond its initial London base during the 1990s and opened the first location outside London in New York in 2000. McDonald’s purchased a 33% non-controlling interest in 2001, providing a major corporate partner during the company’s international development. That stake was sold in 2008 to Bridgepoint Capital. Pret continued to grow in the United States and entered France in 2012. The company’s social and charitable identity developed alongside its commercial expansion. The Pret Foundation was established in 1995 to help address poverty and homelessness, including through the redistribution of unsold food. In 2008 it launched Rising Stars, an employment and support program for people at risk of homelessness, including former prisoners and refugees. The program combines work experience with training, practical assistance and peer support. Pret experimented with brand architecture and menu strategy in the 2010s. It opened Veggie Pret in Soho in 2016 after testing the concept as a temporary pop-up, and added a second London site in 2017. The vegetarian and vegan format was later rolled back: in 2024 Pret announced that its last three dedicated Veggie Pret outlets would become standard Pret stores. In 2019, Pret acquired the UK food-to-go chain Eat, initially considering conversion of many Eat sites into Veggie Pret locations. JAB Holding Company acquired Pret from Bridgepoint in September 2018. Under JAB ownership, the brand continued international development through a combination of directly operated sites, local partners and franchise structures. Pret announced an Irish expansion in 2022, entered India in 2023 through Reliance Industries, and opened its first Italian site at Milan Malpensa Airport in 2023. In Canada, coffee distribution expanded to A&W restaurants in 2024 after earlier pop-up trials. The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected Pret’s office-centered operating model. In August 2020, the company announced plans to eliminate 2,890 UK jobs, including shop and support-center roles, because of the collapse in trade. Later recovery efforts included changes to loyalty and subscription propositions. Club Pret, introduced in 2021, generated customer complaints and regulatory attention. In 2024, Pret lowered the subscription price but removed the previous included-drinks allowance and food discount, substituting a 50% discount on drinks. Pret has also experienced major legal, regulatory and reputational problems. Critics have challenged its expectations around emotional labor, mystery shopping and employee displays of positivity. An independent Pret staff union was established in 2012 with a central demand for a living wage; its founder, Andrej Stopa, was later dismissed from a Pret branch. The most serious controversy concerned allergen information. Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died in 2016 after an allergic reaction to sesame in a Pret baguette whose packaging did not identify the allergen. Celia Marsh died in 2017 after consuming a product represented as dairy-free that was alleged to contain dairy traces; Pret attributed the issue to a supplier, while the supplier disputed aspects of that account. These cases contributed to changes in UK food-labeling rules and public scrutiny of Pret’s controls. In August 2023, Pret received an £800,000 fine after a worker was trapped in a walk-in freezer for more than two hours. In 2024, the company faced criticism over pricing and reduced prices on selected sandwiches. It also cancelled plans for 40 stores in Israel, attributing the decision to restrictions on UK staff travel linked to the Gaza war. In 2025, José Cil was appointed chairman, and JAB disclosed that advisers were examining a possible sale or flotation. As of September 2025, published reference material recorded 717 locations in 19 countries and territories, with the United Kingdom remaining the largest market.

2025
Chairmanship changes and strategic options reviewed
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
José Cil became chairman, while JAB appointed advisers to explore a possible sale or flotation.
2023
Pret enters India and Italy
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
The brand opened its first Indian outlet with Reliance Industries and its first Italian location at Milan Malpensa Airport.
2021
Club Pret launches
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Pret introduced a paid subscription proposition centered on hot drinks and menu discounts.
2020
Major UK workforce reduction
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Pret announced 2,890 UK job cuts during the pandemic-related collapse in trade.
2019
Eat is acquired
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Pret bought rival UK food-to-go chain Eat.
2018
JAB Holding Company acquires Pret
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
JAB purchased the chain from Bridgepoint Capital.
2016
Veggie Pret launches
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Pret opened a vegetarian and vegan concept in Soho after testing it as a pop-up.
2008
Rising Stars program launches
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
The Pret Foundation introduced an employment and support program for people at risk of homelessness.
2001
McDonald’s acquires a minority stake
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
McDonald’s bought a 33% non-controlling interest in Pret.
2000
First shop outside London opens in New York
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Pret began its international retail expansion with a New York location.
1995
The Pret Foundation is established
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
The foundation began supporting programs addressing hunger, homelessness and poverty.
1986
Beecham and Metcalfe relaunch Pret
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Sinclair Beecham and Julian Metcalfe acquired the name from the liquidator and opened a new Victoria Street shop.
1983
Original Pret operation founded in London
[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Jeffrey Hyman established the first business using the Pret a Manger name.

Products and positioning

Premium or upper-mainstream food-to-go, combining quick-service convenience with café-style coffee and an emphasis on freshness, visible preparation, natural ingredients, sustainability and urban accessibility.

Core food-to-go · 1986
Freshly prepared sandwiches and baguettes
Pret’s central product line consists of sandwiches, baguettes and related handheld items assembled in shop kitchens. The brand markets them as prepared during the day and designed for immediate takeaway consumption. Packaging, ingredient selection and frequent replenishment support the chain’s freshness-oriented positioning, although allergen incidents exposed the importance of robust ingredient and labeling controls.
Prepared meals
Salads, wraps and soups
Salads, wraps, soups and other prepared meals extend Pret beyond sandwiches and provide lighter, vegetarian and seasonal choices. They are intended for office lunches, travel and other occasions where customers want a quick meal without full table service.
Beverages
Coffee and hot drinks
Coffee is a major traffic and loyalty driver for Pret. Hot drinks are sold alongside food in the chain’s cafés and have supported subscription products, including Club Pret. In Canada, Pret also extended its coffee presence through distribution at A&W restaurants.
Vegetarian and vegan format · 2016
Veggie Pret
Veggie Pret was a dedicated vegetarian and vegan store format first tested in Soho in 2016. The experiment became permanent for several years and was expanded to additional sites, but Pret decided in 2024 to convert its remaining dedicated outlets to the standard Pret format.
Subscription and loyalty · 2021
Club Pret
Club Pret is a paid customer subscription built around benefits on drinks and, initially, selected menu purchases. Its structure changed materially in 2024: the monthly fee was reduced, while the former allowance of up to five hot drinks per day and 20% menu discount was replaced by a 50% drinks discount with no menu discount.

Controversies

2023
Worker trapped in walk-in freezer
A Pret worker was trapped in a walk-in freezer for more than two hours. The company pleaded guilty to a health and safety offense and received an £800,000 fine.
Source
2021
Complaints about Club Pret advertising and value
Thousands of customer complaints about the drinks subscription were reported, prompting involvement by the Advertising Standards Authority.
Source
2020
Former Pret A Manger employee files discrimination lawsuit
A former employee filed a lawsuit against Pret A Manger, alleging that employees created and fostered a discriminatory and hostile work environment. The allegations included repeated use of racial slurs at several New York City stores. The article said Pret had not responded to a request for comment at publication.
Source
2017
Death of Celia Marsh after dairy exposure
Celia Marsh died after consuming a product represented as dairy-free that was alleged to contain dairy traces. Pret blamed a supplier, while the supplier disputed aspects of Pret’s account and investigation.
Source
2016
Death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse after sesame exposure
Fifteen-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died after an allergic reaction to sesame in a Pret baguette whose packaging did not identify the allergen. The case led to intense scrutiny of Pret’s labeling practices and contributed to broader UK food-labeling reform.
Source

2016Veggie Pret launch
United Kingdom
Pret used a customer poll and a Soho pop-up to test a vegetarian and vegan store concept.
Outcome. The format was made permanent and expanded, but the remaining dedicated outlets were later converted to standard Pret stores in 2024.
Source
2008Rising Stars
United Kingdom
The Pret Foundation launched a program offering employment, training and practical support to people at risk of homelessness, including refugees and former prisoners.
Outcome. Reference material reported more than 600 participants by 2022, with some progressing to management or head-office roles.
Source
1995The Pret Foundation
United Kingdom
Pret established a charitable foundation addressing hunger, homelessness and poverty. The program supports food redistribution and grants to charities.
Outcome. The foundation became a long-running part of Pret’s social-impact identity.
Source

Brand decisions

2025
Strategic review of possible sale or flotationM&A
Background
JAB Holding Company reviewed strategic options for its Pret investment.
Action taken
JAB engaged advisers to explore a possible sale or stock-market flotation.
Aftermath
No completed sale or listing is established in the supplied reference material.
Source
2024
Retirement of dedicated Veggie Pret storesGeneration change
Background
Pret had tested and expanded a vegetarian and vegan store format beginning in 2016.
Action taken
The company announced that its final three dedicated Veggie Pret outlets would be converted to standard Pret stores.
Aftermath
Vegetarian and vegan products continued within the broader Pret range, but the standalone format ended.
Source
2024
Selected sandwich price reductionsPrice change
Background
Pret faced criticism that earlier price increases represented profiteering; the company cited energy and labor costs.
Action taken
Pret announced price cuts on best-selling sandwiches.
Aftermath
The move was presented as a response to customer concern and pressure over affordability.
Source
2024
Club Pret subscription redesignStrategy
Background
Pret’s original subscription offered a monthly drinks allowance and a menu discount, but generated customer complaints over value and advertising.
Action taken
Pret reduced the monthly fee to £10, replaced the included-drinks benefit with a 50% drinks discount, and removed the menu discount.
Aftermath
The revised terms attracted criticism from customers who preferred the former benefits.
Monthly subscription fee. £30 → £10 (2024)
Source
2020
Pandemic workforce restructuringStrategy
Background
COVID-19 sharply reduced commuter and office traffic, a major source of Pret’s customer demand.
Action taken
Pret announced 2,890 UK job cuts, including shop and support-center positions.
Aftermath
The restructuring reflected a major contraction in the UK food-to-go business during the pandemic.
UK jobs announced for elimination. 2,890 fewer positions planned (2020)
Source
2019
Acquisition of EatM&A
Background
Pret sought to expand its position in the UK food-to-go market.
Action taken
Pret acquired rival chain Eat for an undisclosed amount.
Aftermath
Pret initially considered converting many Eat sites into Veggie Pret stores.
Source
2018
Sale to JAB Holding CompanyM&A
Background
Pret had been owned by Bridgepoint Capital since McDonald’s sold its minority stake in 2008.
Action taken
JAB Holding Company acquired Pret in September 2018.
Aftermath
Pret continued international expansion under private ownership and later pursued acquisitions and local partnerships.
Source

Recent events

2025
José Cil appointed Pret chairman[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Leadership change
Pret announced the appointment of José Cil as chairman.
2025
JAB explores options for a potential Pret sale or flotation[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
M&A · Other
JAB Holding Company engaged advisers to examine strategic options including a possible sale or stock-market listing.
2024
Dedicated Veggie Pret stores are withdrawn[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Product generation
Pret announced that its final three vegetarian-only locations would be converted to standard Pret stores.
2024
Pret reduces prices of best-selling sandwiches[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Pricing
The company said it would lower prices on selected best-selling sandwiches after public criticism of earlier price increases.
2024
Club Pret subscription terms are substantially changed[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Pricing · Other
The monthly fee was reduced, but the previous included-drinks allowance and food discount were replaced by a drinks-discount model, drawing customer criticism.
2024
Pret coffee becomes available at A&W restaurants in Canada[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Product launch · Other
Following pop-up trials, Pret began supplying coffee at A&W locations in Canada.
2023
Pret opens first Indian outlet with Reliance[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
M&A · Other
Pret entered India through a partnership with Reliance Industries.
2023
Pret A Manger to open 200 new shops in UK and Ireland
Product launch
Pret announced plans to expand its UK and Ireland presence with 200 new shops, creating thousands of jobs.
2022
Pret expands into Ireland[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Other
Pret announced plans for 20 Irish outlets and approximately 500 jobs.
2021
Advertising regulator examines complaints about Pret coffee subscription[1]Pret a Mangeren.wikipedia.org
Regulation · Pricing
Customer complaints about the Club Pret drinks subscription were reported to the Advertising Standards Authority.

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