Pret A Manger plans to acquire Eat in vegetarian push

UK sandwich chain Pret A Manger has agreed to acquire EAT, the British sandwich and coffee shop chain, to transform its stores into vegetarian outlets. Through this acquisition, Pret A Manger seeks to cater to the fast-growing demand for plant-based foods.

The company looks to capitalize on the thriving vegan and vegetarian market through its Veggie Pret brand. It is planning to convert most of the EAT shops into Veggie Pret outlets, which will cater to health-conscious consumers who prefer plant-based meals over meat.

Clive Schlee, Chief Executive Officer of Pret A Manger, said, “The acquisition of the EAT estate is a wonderful opportunity to turbo-charge the development of Veggie Pret and put significant resources behind it.” 

Pret opened its first Veggie Pret as a pop-up shop in Soho in London in 2016. Pret has 400 stores in the UK, of which, four are branded as "Veggie Pret".

Pret A Manger has been experimenting with vegetarian and vegan options for products like brownies and macaroni and cheese, as well as offering dishes including a vegan Mediterranean mezze salad.