Did you know…

4th January 2010, 12:41pm

Here is a round-up of the latest facts and figures in the industry…

A new study in the US has found that displaying nutritional content such as calorie information, levels of fat and salt do stop restaurant diners eating too much.

Valued at £1.7 billion in 2009, sales of potatoes have grown a smashing 27% since 2004.

Meanwhile, value sales of potatoes will increase a further 23% in the next five years, and by 2013, we'll be chipping, mashing and boiling our way through £2 billion worth of the stuff.

Within the sector, fresh potatoes make up two thirds (65%) of the market by value (and over three quarters (77%) by volume).

Meanwhile, although accounting for a much smaller value share, it is frozen chips (20%) and chilled potatoes (at just 2%) which are amongst the sectors star performers. Between 2004 and 2009, sales of chilled potatoes grew 81%, while fresh potatoes and frozen chips grew 32% and 27% respectively.

Revenue for Clapham House Group has increased by 13% to £22.5 million but pre-tax profits fell slightly from £1.5 million to £1.3 million.

Sales growth across Britain's leading pub and restaurant groups slid back in November, with month-on-month sales down 7.4% against October, reported the monthly Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

Like-for-like sales were ahead by 1.3% compared to November last year, but this was in contrast to the 2.8% increase recorded in October.

Pubs with featured music take on average 44% more money than pubs without, rising to 60% on weekends, research has revealed.

Research found that music pubs have higher takings every day of the week, 80% of pub managers said they felt music would help them survive the recession, and pubs with featured music are three times more likely to stay open.

Food quality is what turns people off eating in pubs, according to a survey conducted by The Mystery Dining Company.

Almost three-quarters (73%) of businesses surveyed have developed a more detailed knowledge of their spending and resource use as a result of the recession, according to The Envirowise Business Thrift Shift Report.

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