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20 June 2012 10:23
Whitbread's booming coffee shop brand Costa has become the latest 'food to go' business to join the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
Costa, which yesterday announced a 25.3% increase in total sales across the 13 weeks to May 31st, said that with its ongoing expansion it was increasingly important that its views were part of the dialogue the BRC engages in with British policy-makers.
John Derkach, managing director at Costa Coffee, said: "The BRC has an excellent reputation for bringing the concerns of all types of retailers to the attention of the UK's governments as well as politicians in Brussels. As our business continues to expand, it becomes even more important that we are part of those conversations.
"We're particularly enthusiastic about the BRC's work on the future of Britain's high streets where we have a high proportion of our outlets. We also look forward to benefiting from their technical food expertise as well as the business information our membership will bring us."
Stephen Robertson, BRC director general, said: "It's great to be welcoming another new member to the BRC and I'm particularly pleased that Costa Coffee joins a recent influx of companies serving food and drink. The presence of 'food to go' businesses on our high streets is significant and a growing part of the retail experience for consumers.
"Part of our strength as an organisation is the broad breadth of our membership and Costa is a significant addition to that."
