Pret a Manger is removing all 110 of its Pret Express self-serve coffee machines. The firm says its decision to exit the self-serve-machine market will allow it to “focus investment on continuing to grow our UK shop estate”, which comprises over 500 outlets.
Pret began a trial in October 2021 that saw machines offering 21 different drinks rolled out at petrol stations, convenience stores, gyms and workplaces as the firm sought a piece of a market dominated by Costa and its 14,200+ machines.
Pret said it is “working closely with JDE Peet’s to ensure a smooth transition” as it ceases to operate the machines. L’OR, a coffee brand owned by JDE Peet’s, is set to pick up the reins. JDE Peet’s is a Dutch multinational tea and coffee company majority owned by JAB Holding Company, the same German conglomerate that purchased Pret in 2018.
Pret’s accounting woes juxtapose with growth
When JAB Holding bought the company, Pret was deemed to have ‘goodwill’ worth £912m. Goodwill is an accounting metric that calculates the value of a company beyond its net assets; it can include brand recognition, customer loyalty, employee relations and other factors that can affect future performance.
In June 2025 JAB Holding engaged advisors to explore a potential sale of flotation of Pret, and in September of the same year Pret’s end-of-year accounts booked a goodwill impairment charge of £553m, wiping a third off the firm’s value.
Pret said the “non-cash goodwill impairment of £552.9 million related to JAB’s acquisition of control in 2018” and that the decrease was linked to “uncertain global macro-economic environment” and “the additional bills introduced as a result of the National Autumn Budget in 2024”. The firm actually posted a 10% rise in sales for the year, and grew its EBIDTA to £98m from £72m the previous year.
Pret opens two new MSA shops
While Pret Express machines may soon be no more, Pret A Manger continues to expand as it seeks to make good on its ambition to double the number of its UK outlets.
The firm has partnered with motorway services operator Roadchef to open two new shops at Strensham Services northbound and southbound on the M5. The stores will create 19 new jobs and open from 7am to 7pm.
Sam Otterburn, Pret’s head of franchise, says: “These locations give travellers a perfect place to pause and refuel with freshly made food and organic coffee.”
Howard Lockwood, Roadchef’s catering & brand development director, says that “Pret marks another perfect addition to our portfolio”.
