Costa ads help lift sales 9.4%
Costa Coffee’s first television campaign and a renewed push for Premier Inn appear to have had a positive impact as parent company Whitbread reports sales increases for both chains.
Costa, which launched its first ever television campaign in October, saw like for like sales increase 9.4% for the 39 weeks to 2 December.
Premier Inn, advertised by Lenny Henry, registered a 9.4% uplift.
Total Whitbread sales, which also include earnings from the Brewers Fayre pub restaurant chain, increased 7.5% in the period.
The company has undertaken an aggressive expansion strategy for Costa and Premier Inn.
Three hundred new Costa stores are planned in the current financial year taking the total to 1,850 internationally, while 26 new hotels are due to open.
Andy Harrison, who took over as chief executive of Whitbread on 1 September, says “strong” profit growth is expected for the full-year.
“Whitbread is an excellent business which is continuing to perform well. We have leading brands with real competitive advantage and substantial growth opportunities.”
