While many consumer markets have been hungry for sales following tightened purse strings caused by the economic recession, consumer demand for coffee and sandwich shops has gone from strength to strength.
The likes of Starbucks and Pret A Manger have eaten into the UK high street, with stores sprouting up on every corner, every workplace and every shopping centre.
Meanwhile, a rising number of commuters and travellers using the national rail service and London Underground has resulted in greater footfall at train stations where many sandwich and coffee shops are located, enticing a growing number of consumers to grab breakfast or coffee at the start of their working day.
However, the potential of this industry hasn’t gone unnoticed by other retail sectors, and several fast food chains such as McDonald’s have introduced coffee and sandwich lines to grab a slice of the market. Supermarket chains Asda and Tesco have also partnered with leading coffee shop brands to revamp their tired in-store cafes, and the marketplace has become overcrowded with an influx of companies aiming to become the latest connoisseurs in the industry.
While there may be a danger of too much of a good thing, the established brands in the market have become aware of the need to cater to changing food and drink habits and trends, offering coffee and sandwich products in response to allergies and intolerances, cultural requirements, and the latest trendy diet fads.
As product ranges become increasingly diverse and competitors are driving store expansions across the UK and emerging international markets, the leading brands in the coffee and sandwich shops market are forecast to dominate the market further and the total market’s value will consistently increase up until at least 2018.
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