The small-format concept will be trialled at train stations and retail parks across the UK in the second half of 2025 as the food-to-go and coffee chain seeks to meet its outlet growth target while reducing overhead costs
Greggs is set to trial a new small-format store concept in the second half of 2025 in a bid to lift lagging footfall and reverse falling profits.
The UK food-to-go and coffee chain said the ‘bitesize Greggs’ model will initially be rolled out at train stations and retail parks where there is currently unmet demand for its offering. The sites will serve a smaller range of products than its typical stores, which increasingly cater to made-to-order food and beverages.
“Our trial of new concepts, such as ‘bitesize Greggs’, aims to enable more convenient access to Greggs, driving greater visit frequency, and supports the scale of estate opportunity in the medium term,” Greggs CEO Roisin Currie said in her half-year earnings report.
The planned launch, similar to Pret A Manger’s Petit Pret and Caffè Nero’s Nero Express concepts, comes as Greggs seeks to sustain strong sales momentum in the second half of the year while minimising overheads.
Alongside catering to consumer demand for convenience and speed-of-service in underserved high-footfall locations, bitesize Greggs’ stores will also benefit from lower rental and staffing costs for the group as it seeks to scale to 3,000 UK sites.
Greggs, which currently operates 2,649 outlets and employs over 33,000 people, recently began trialling in-store self-order kiosks at six stores to improve labour efficiency.
The group has heavily invested in diversifying its estate in recent years by scaling its drive-thru network, expanding retail concession partnerships and extending opening hours to meet demand for evening trade.
