Described as having revolutionized the concept of sandwich making and eating, Prt A Manger opened their first

Described as having ‘revolutionized the concept of sandwich making and eating’, Prêt A Manger opened their first shop in the mid-1980s, in London. Now they have over 130 shops in the UK, New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

They say that their secret is to focus continually on quality, in all their activities. ‘Many food retailers focus on extending the shelf life of their food, but that’s of no interest to us. We maintain our edge by selling food that simply can’t be beaten for freshness. At the end of the day, we give whatever we haven’t sold to charity to help feed those who would otherwise go hungry.’ The first Prêt A Manger shop had its own kitchen where fresh ingredients were delivered first thing every morning, and food was prepared throughout the day. Every Prêt shop since has followed this model. The team members serving on the tills at lunchtime will have been making sandwiches in the kitchen that morning. They rejected the idea of a huge centralized sandwich factory even though it could significantly reduce costs. Prêt also own and manage all their shops directly so that they can ensure consistently high standards. ‘We are determined never to forget that our hardworking people make all the difference. They are our heart and soul. When they care, our business is sound. If they cease to care, our business goes down the drain.

We work hard at building great teams. We take our reward schemes and career opportunities very seriously. We don’t work nights (generally), we wear jeans, we party!’

● Do you think Prêt A Manger fully understand the importance of their operations management?

● What evidence is there for this?

● What kind of operations management activities at Prêt A Manger might come under the four headings of direct, design, deliver and develop?