With pubs still the single most important eating out leisure destination in the UK*, Punch Partnerships has launched the next phase of its ‘off-the-shelf’ food initiative to help licensees build their offer and grow sales.

Table Top Specials is the next development in Punch’s value pricing package, Table Top, which enables licensees to benefit from competitive wholesale pricing and offer traditional pub dishes like Sausage and Mash and Fish and Chips at set price points of between £1.99 and £4.99.

Punch’s operations director, Kevin Georgel, explains: “Table Top Specials is the next stage for licensees building a competitive food offer.  If they have already introduced the original Table Top dishes but want to expand their range to boost sales and combat consumer fatigue, they can now add additional, complementary favourites such as Sweet and Sour Chicken, Chilli and Rice, Toad in the Hole and Lasagne.”

Kevin continues: “We are delighted that over 600 licensees have now signed up to Table Top and Table Top Specials.  The packages allow licensees to benefit from fixed wholesale pricing from Punch’s suppliers, Brakes and 3663, and receive all the supporting point of sale material to promote their offers.”

Punch’s team of catering executives have worked with their suppliers to develop this package which includes full food preparation specifications, margin calculations and point of sale.

Prices are guaranteed for 6 months so on the 3663 package, for example, a licensee could price their Chicken Pie and Chips at £3.49 and achieve a 70% margin of £2.13 cash profit.

Licensee, Toni Laverick of The Happy Wanderer, Durham has recently added a number of dishes from Table Top Specials to boost her food sales

Toni Laverick comments: “We have quite limited kitchen space here so Table Top Specials is ideal as all cooking processes are very straightforward - microwaving, grilling, or frying.  It is very well packaged and easy to introduce and means we are now able to offer a much more wide-ranging menu with popular pub dishes like Pie and Chips!  The support from Punch has been fantastic too! ”

Kevin Georgel concludes: “This is another great approach to help our licensees develop a competitive edge.  We are the only pub company to provide the services of eight dedicated catering executives who are already working on the next phase of this initiative which will ultimately allow licensees to offer a fully packaged pub menu with starters, desserts, as well as lunch time jackets and baguettes!”

*(Mintel 2007)