Pret A Manger’s Growth Story: From a Single Shop to a Global Brand

Back in 1986, Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham opened a modest sandwich shop in London. They weren’t chasing trends—they just wanted to offer fresh, honest food to busy people.

No flashy branding. No investors.Just Pret A Manger, and a kitchen downstairs where everything was made from scratch, every single day.

What followed wasn’t a loud success. It was slow, steady, and built on consistency.

Early Days: Bread, Basics, and Values

In those first years, Pret stood out by doing things differently:

• Everything prepped fresh, by hand

• No sell-by dates on products

• Free coffee for regulars

• Letting people pay later—or not at all, if they couldn’t

The growth was quiet. Intentional. Pret wasn’t just a lunch stop; it had a kind of soul.Doing the right thing wasn’t a tagline. It was how they operated.

Growing Up Without Losing It

By the 2000s, Pret started spreading fast:

• Central kitchens with daily deliveries

• Shops across the UK, then abroad

• Clear systems for staff, known as "Pret People"

• No franchising at first—to keep things consistent

• Eventually, 500+ shops worldwide

But the key wasn’t speed. It was routine.They scaled through rhythm. Same energy. Same taste. Just new places.Pret A Manger growth storyPret A Manger growth story

What Makes Pret’s Journey Different?

• Real food, real prep—nothing artificial

• No ads for years—word of mouth carried them

• No expiry dates—just trust

• Staff rewarded not just for work, but for kindness

They didn’t grow by being loud. They grew by being grounded.

At a Glance

Phase	Start-Up (1986–1999)	Scale-Up (2000–Today)
Location	1 London shop	500+ in 10+ countries
Food Model	Made in-store	Delivered fresh daily
Growth	Hands-on, slow	Controlled expansion
Marketing	None	Minimal, brand-led
Loyalty	Personal bonds	Familiar experiences

Closing Thought

Pret didn’t invent the sandwich.But they reshaped how we experience it.

That’s what real growth can look like—when you don’t let go of who you were at the start.

At ADANOVA, that’s the kind of growth we stand behind.