Case study - hungry for success!

Edinburgh Baguette Express franchisee Margaret Watret is no stranger to the Baguette Express sandwich shop chain, as she already operated two successful outlets, in the capital’s Gorgie Road (near Murrayfield Stadium, the home of Scottish rugby), and in the Fife town of Kirkcaldy.

When she launched her third shop the key priority was to ensure the new site would work well within the different potential customer base of the city’s vibrant and bustling West End.

Her strong local knowledge of the area convinced her that while the trading patterns may be different the appeal of the brand’s core customer proposition would be essentially the same, for people as varied as office workers, shoppers and, given the location, backpackers and other tourists.

Margaret, who runs the shop with son Kevin reckons the combination of healthy food, terrific variety and value for money prices will offer shoppers and office workers a cost-effective alternative to generally more expensive rival fast food shops.

Sandwich market research suggests snackers are looking for quality and variety, but with a particular emphasis on value – and that this holds true even in areas, like the West End, where many potential customers command reasonably high disposable incomes.