Caffè Nero’s UK airport sites are currently trading at 113% like-for-like against pre-pandemic figures | Photo credit: Alexander London

Strong trading at Caffè Nero airport outlets has seen the European coffee chain's airport sales exceed pre-pandemic levels, with trading volume 300% higher at its new Stansted Airport site than its other airport stores.

Caffè Nero’s UK airport sites are currently trading 113% higher like-for-like for the past eight weeks against pre-pandemic levels. 

The chain has reported record opening week of sales at its new London Stansted Airport store, which opened in May.

The Stansted store is already the chain’s second highest airport store for sales, behind its Heathrow Airport site, with Caffè Nero recording 31,000 transactions and 35,000 cups of coffee sold at the bespoke designed store. 

The strong performance mirrors Caffè Nero’s trading at other UK airport sites, which are currently trading at 113% like-for-like for the past eight weeks against pre-pandemic figures. 

The boost in a trade reflects the ongoing recovery of air travel following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The performance of this store supports the sales growth we are seeing across the business. We are trading ahead of pre-pandemic levels now, and as we continue to open new stores; I expect that growth to only continue further,” said Glyn House, Managing Director, Caffè Nero UK. 

The European coffee chain, which operates approximately 620 stores across the UK and has a presence at all major UK airports, is also set to open a flagship store in Belfast City Airport this summer. 

Reporting its half-year results in late-February, Caffè Nero said it was trading at 90% of pre-Covid levels, with sales between June and November 2021 rising 211% to £135.7m ($184.2) compared to the same period in 2020. 
 

Caffè Nero is not the only chain to benefit from a resurgence in travel hub trade. Pret A Manger reported in June 2022 a doubling of coffee and sandwich sales at UK airports since the beginning of the year, with the UK food-to-go and coffee chain's sites at London’s Heathrow, Gatwick, City and Luton airports now operating approximately a third higher than they were before the pandemic.