Welcome Break, the independent motorway services operator, has announced that, in the three weeks to 6 January 2015, sales across Welcome Break sites hit an all-time high, increasing by 12.2% on the same period last year to £15.8m (2013: £14.2m).
Catering sales at Welcome Break, which include transactions at the company’s recently-expanded portfolio of premium branded outlets, accounted for £7.34m of total sales. This represented an increase of 10.7% in this area of the business alone.
Welcome Break served up almost half a million hot drinks during the Christmas period, with coffee accounting for over three quarters of these sales. All-time high visitor numbers were also seen with over 45,300 vehicles arriving at Welcome Break sites on Christmas Day alone.
New food brands popular
Chief Executive Officer, Rod McKie, comments, “Welcome Break’s record Christmas trading comes on the back of a very strong year overall. The introduction of new food brands such as Tossed and Subway has proven extremely popular with our customers who enjoy the extended choice and quality on offer.
“Across the board, the brands, which also include Starbucks, Waitrose and Harry Ramsden’s and our hotel offerings with Ramada and Days Inn, have performed extremely well. Sales reflect the work done in recent years to improve our offer and give customers what they really want from their visits to our motorway service areas.”
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