Subway franchise plans to open 600 new UK branches

Subway, the international sandwich franchise, has announced plans to open 600 new branches in Britain and Ireland over the next three years, creating 6,000 new jobs in the process. It is thought that the company, which has earned global fame for its quick-service rolls and baguettes, hopes to explore new locations such as hospitals, airports and petrol stations during the expansion. Subway believes that the recession has increased public demand for quick, affordable meals. Its signature lunch deal, currently available for just £3, is specifically designed to capture this market. The franchise currently comprises more than 1,400 stores across the UK – a five-fold increase on 2004. Furthermore, footfall has soared across the country in recent months. According to Subway’s latest UK financials, sales at stores which opened before January 2011 have risen 10% in the last 13 weeks. Discussing the UK expansion, Fred DeLuca, president and founder of Subway, said: “Everybody eats three times a day; it’s only a question of where they choose to eat. The longer-term trends are people eat out more often. “When we get to 2,000 stores, we’ll have about one store for every 30,000 people (in the UK). That’s actually quite low density for us. In the US and Canada, we have one store for every 12,000 people.” For more information on franchise opportunities with Subway, visit the Subway website.