Case Studies

Case Study 1:

An all day dining concept

  • The client – a highly respected restaurateur with a track record gained from building a chain of 12 successful restaurants
  • The client sold his interest in the above group and was planning a new restaurant concept with a view to creating 5 or more new restaurants within a 5 year period
  • HMS were brought in, along with MHE retail consultancy, to achieve the following objectives:
    Market overview, Sector study, Location strategy, Competitor analysis, Concept appraisal, Menu development
  • On the back of the business plan, which HMS and MHE helped prepare, the client raised the required funds and bought a small chain of high profile London-based restaurants and, 18 months later, has now secured a further lease on a landmark 8K sq ft property in the West End
  • The client acknowledged the work HMS and MHE had undertaken was invaluable in helping him achieve his objectives by establishing a viable concept for his new venture and assisting in the development of what has proved to be a very successful concept

Case Study 2:

Circle Healthcare, Europe’s largest healthcare partnership

This project came on the back of a relationship developed over a nine month assignment working on all aspects of the F&B offering for a new ‘5 star’ private hospital in the Circle Group. The brief in the follow-up work was to improve the existing public food offerings in the largest new NHS healthcare facility in the UK. The work plan included:

  • Design and carry out market research on the F&B requirements of the hospital
  • Assess all aspects of the existing operations; their strengths and shortcomings
  • Establish what the optimum new offerings should be
  • Competitor analysis
  • Research alternative operating models and prepare shortlist of potential external contractors
  • Prepare and present the business case for each alternative and make recommendations
  • The solutions HMS generated and implemented have led to a most successful relationship between Circle Healthcare and the appointed catering contractor

Case Study 3:

Operational due diligence

Working in conjunction with an integrated retail consultancy to provide the food service expertise and perspective on a proposed acquisition by a private equity fund. The role included:

  • On-site assessment of operations of a famous branded high street quick service operator
  • Consideration of the revenue growth opportunities within the existing operations
  • Review the potential profit enhancement possibilities of the existing operations
  • Development of a survey to determine competitor analysis, major drivers and the likes and dislikes of customers
  • Analysis of the survey results and presentation of them to the client
  • Short assessment of further growth opportunities

Case Study 4:

Purple Dragon Play

The initial project was specific and short-term; to assess the international franchise and licensing opportunities for this high profile upscale children’s club. After successful completion of this work HMS were retained by the owner to undertake a complete rebrand and re-launch of the business resulting in a multi-million pound investment in a 15K sq ft site in Chelsea. HMS’s role included the following:

  • Location strategy and reviewing potential sites
  • Negotiating of lease and landlord consents on chosen property
  • Financial modelling of the revised business
  • Appointment and liaison of the design and build team
  • Project management of the build and procurement of all equipment
  • Recruitment and training of all senior management
  • Implementing robust control systems and the setting of all standards of performance
  • Design and implementation of marketing plan for opening and beyond
  • Interim role as Operations Director for the first year of opening during which time full membership was achieved and operating targets met and surpassed

Case Study 5:

A proposed landmark building within the new Kings Cross development

The client is a high profile multinational organisation intending to build a 200,000 sq. ft. multi-storey mixed-use building within the Kings Cross development HMS are retained to advise on all catering aspects within the proposed building.

Their involvement to date has focused on the following key areas:

  • Analysis of the eating out market in London and the UK
  • Survey of ethnic food restaurants within London
  • Benchmarking of competing locations
  • Review of proposed catering mix within the overall Kings Cross redevelopment
  • Review of potential caterers for the restaurants and consideration of the in-house options
  • Initial financial modelling
  • Proposal and analysis of actual restaurant concepts for different parts of the building
  • The project is on-going