FAQs

COMMERCIAL FAQ's

Q. The catering in our shopping centres is not performing. Can you help?

Yes we can. Coverpoint have detailed knowledge of key business drivers influencing the use of foodservice in Shopping Centres and can benchmark weak performers to highlight the key problems and issues and identify and implement practical and effective solutions.

Q. We are acquiring an established restaurant business. Can Coverpoint help with the Due Diligence work?

Coverpoint have worked with several major Private Equity businesses, carrying out Due Diligence exercises for major foodservice concerns, both in the UK and in Europe. Our recommendations have formed the basis for significant investment.

Q. The spend per head on food at our Visitor Attraction has dropped over the last year. How can we improve our performance?

We focus on the key business drivers for Visitor Attractions, recognising that price, placement and location are critical in maximising spend. We have expertise in this area, working with attractions such as Merlin Entertainments & Legoland in the UK and Europe.

Q. The retail on the top floor of the centre is failing and we want a food court. What do we do?

We approach projects not with a pre-determined concept, but build our proposals on what the Centre can sustain, the strength of the local market and the demands of the local users. This applies to projects undertaken in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East.

Q. We have been offered a restaurant unit in a shopping centre. How can we assess viability?

We work with foodservice operators in assessing sites, by building models of footfall profile and food spend to determine potential trade. We combine this with a review of local competition and model all the information into an annual turnover assessment.

Q. I have agreed terms on a 2,000ft 2 unit in a great location, but am struggling to make my design fit. Can you help?

Yes, as all of the Coverpoint team have a foodservice operating background and know what works well and what doesn't. Our approach is always to look at what drives the business and what is critical to retain and what can be compromised to fit into a tight space.

Q. Our GP on food is below target, but we are not sure why. Where would you look first?  

We take a systemised approach, looking at the products for sale and work back through the process through preparation, storage, goods received and ordering. At each step we weigh, record and compare, to highlight inconsistencies. Our last assignment improved GP by 2%.

Q. We want a market leading foodservice offer for our European Shopping Centres. How well do you know Europe?

We have extensive experience in Europe having worked extensively in Portugal and Spain, and increasingly in Eastern Europe. The team are all passionate about food and drink and immerse themselves in different environments to absorb the trends in any given country.

Q. Can you help with Tenant Shop Fit delivery?  

We have worked with the majority of foodservice operators in the UK and know their operations. We have also built up valuable experience of working with major developers like Lend Lease and BAA plc in delivering efficient and on-time foodservice units.

Q. Our leasing team are struggling to convince target operators that the Terms match the business opportunity. Can Coverpoint convince them?

Coverpoint's approach is to analyse and establish if the opportunity is there and the operator fits the requirement then we will work with the operator to deliver. If not then we will quickly tell you what's wrong and if it can be fixed.

Q. How can Coverpoint assist in planning a city centre regeneration.

We have worked on the master planning of foodservice in entire new Cities, Business Districts and City regeneration, in Saudi Arabia, Hamburg, Dubai and London. We model the volume of each type of foodservice required in different areas of the development.

Q. Our M&E Team are trying to assess the services requirements and loadings for the restaurants. Can you help?

Given a schedule of restaurants, cafes and coffee shops, we will be able to provide an accurate breakdown of all incoming and outgoing services requirements. Our data is drawn from operators trading in the commercial world and is regularly updated.

Q. We think our offer needs refreshing. How can you assist in this?

We talk to the decision makers - Customers, Landlords, Letting Agents and Centre Managers. This approach will give us a clear view of what the market thinks and will underpin any proposals for re-invigoration.

Q. I need to provide fixed drainage locations in the development, but don't know where they should go. Can Coverpoint help with this?

We can provide flexible drainage arrangements early on in a development. We can either plan for a specific operation, or can provide maximum flexibility. It is easier to provide more drain points and cap them off if not required, than to create more when it is too late.

Q. We want to develop a new concept. What experience does Coverpoint have in this area?

Our concept development experience is underpinned by the menu, which drives the equipment, staff numbers and space required. We then consider the layout, look and feel, service style, pricing strategy, and tangibles such as menus, packaging and tableware.

Q. I have 15,000ft 2 of space in my development. I know what return I will get from retail. What does Coverpoint think it would deliver as foodservice?

A good foodservice cluster can add more than just pure rent. It can draw its own footfall, increase the dwell time of existing customers and may increase the retail spend. We regularly provide this advice.

 

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY FAQ'S

Q. We think our Foodservice Contractor is retaining too much profit. Can Coverpoint investigate this?

Yes, we can as we have carried out analysis on numerous trading accounts for Clients. Our approach is that we always provide impartial and unbiased reviews of Contractor performance and assess trading accounts as well as practices and procedures.

Q. Staff at our different sites say that the catering is much better at head office. How can we ensure consistency?

An obvious solution is to provide identical foodservice at the same price across the estate, but this does not take into account regional pay variations, the needs of the workforce in each location or different foodservice Contractors in different locations.

Q. Prospective Tenants to our Business Park say they need a foodservice offer. How can we deliver this at minimal cost?

A central food offer increases the appeal to prospective Tenants. Configured correctly they can be run at zero cost and can deliver a return to the Landlord, assuming that Park populations are constant and the food offer is tailored to suit the workforce.

Q. We are moving to new offices. Do we really need to provide a full staff restaurant?

The current trend is for lighter menus, deli sandwiches, soups, salads and some hot food, collectively taking up less space. We are also finding that the style of seating required is also changing. Fewer dining tables and more soft furnishings are increasing in popularity.  

Q. Our existing Foodservice Contract Partner has been here for years. Should we go out to Tender?

Coverpoint are able to tailor tender exercises to suit each client, focussing on the current issues and problems highlighted. Alternatively, we can carry out benchmarking, based on our industry experience, to validate that best price is being delivered.

Q. We want a foodservice partner that understands our business. How would Coverpoint's Tender process ensure this?

Our Tender exercises are tailored to each Client and draw out the ability of the Contractor to respond. We arrange cook-offs and site visits for the Client Teams to expose more than just the sales team to the Client.

Q. We want to deliver foodservice at nil cost. Can you give an independent view of achieving this.

In order to achieve this, Coverpoint would assess the current level of subsidy, the trading performance of the food outlets and provide a concise view on if nil cost is achievable and what needs to be done to deliver it.

Q. There has been an increase in site population and the existing staff restaurant is not coping. How can we solve this?

We would want to understand the extent of the issue, observe and record the operation at all times. We will consider all aspects of the business including menu range, service styles, unit design and configuration, seating capacities and customer flows.

Q. We would like a gourmet coffee bar in our reception area. Can you help with the design and planning?

As well as determining the requirement, unit size and configuration, we can provide a full design and planning service, making best use of the space available. Key to its success will be the provision of services. We will detail these from the outset.

Q. I need to convince my Board that the restaurant refurbishment will be cost effective. I need an independent assessment.

We are able to model the cost benefit of a refurbishment, looking at increases in sales as a result and any cost reductions following from replacing high maintenance equipment to introducing labour efficiencies.

Q. How would Coverpoint manage our Foodservice Contracts across our sites on an annual basis?

Many of our Clients have multi site office locations across the UK. Our approach to managing this is based on communication and building relationships. We work with both Client and Contractor on a monthly basis, reviewing performance, targets and innovations.

Q. Our foodservice Contractor delivers great quality, but is always late in getting to meeting rooms. They say it's because of late ordering. Can you review our processes?

Auditing the processes, paper, email and verbal will assist in determining the issues. Coverpoint carry out detailed reviews, often involving shadowing hospitality bookers and recording timings, to build an operational profile of the service.

Q. Our Deli-bar is struggling to meet budgets. Can you help with stimulating trade?

We look at the existing operation firstly to determine if it is a cost or revenue issue, tailoring solutions to suit. We can develop communication strategies or product bundling techniques to develop sales if required.

Q. Too many of our staff go onto the high street for lunch. How can we change this?

We always review the operations before commencing on any enhancement, as the solutions must be targeted to maximise their effect. We would look closely at the product offering and pricing, as well as how the offer is communicated to the population.

Q. We haven't changed Contractors for years, what's happening in the market at present?

We not only work with the majority of Contractors in the UK, but also have a detailed knowledge of the commercial foodservice market, where the majority of our work is focussed. We are ideally placed to provide current advice.

Q. Our new offices are being fitted out, how much space should we allocate for foodservice?

We approach these projects by looking at the anticipated population and their expectations, the local catering market, and the space available, if any, for foodservice. We will create a model setting out the space requirement based on these variables.

Q. Our in-house catering team are lacking in ideas and imagination. How can Coverpoint change this?

We hold workshops and site visits to raise awareness of what is going on in the Contracting sector as well as on the high street. These are effective motivational days and deliver results. We have held these research days for a number of blue chip Clients in the UK.

Q. We have asked a range of Contractors to tender for our Contract and cannot choose between them. Can you help?

Anyone can organise and run a Tender exercise. Coverpoint add value by looking at the host business, its characteristics and culture and fitting the contractor to a set of key criteria. This is key to ensuring a long term, healthy and effective relationship.

Q. We want to survey our staff to see if they are satisfied with the current food. How would Coverpoint approach this?

We provide paper or electronic surveys, or use point of sale technology to deliver satisfaction ratings. The extent of the research will depend on what the Client wants to know. Our response to such surveys is a minimum of 30% of the site population.