Greene King has more smart projects in the pipeline as it marks one year of its Innovation & Efficiency Programme

Greene King, the country’s leading pub company and brewer, has marked the first anniversary of its business-wide innovation and efficiency programme, after completing 53 operational trials designed to improve ways of working and customer experience, and strengthen long-term business resilience and growth.

Launched to explore smarter, simpler and sustainable ways of operating, the programme has already tested a range of ideas in real-life pub environments, including self-cleaning fryers, automated bun toasters, backpack vacuum cleaners and the introduction of a task management system to digitise paperwork. Further projects include team member headsets to enhance communication between front and back of house, and AI technology to monitor kitchen and cellar equipment.

The programme focusses on identifying practical innovations that can improve efficiency, enhance team experience and help Greene King continue to meet evolving customer expectations in the face of rising cost challenges. Over the year more than 300 products and ideas have been triaged before being put to the test in a working pub environment.

Greene King’s chief commercial and digital officer, Clair Preston-Beer said: “It is brilliant to see how we can continue to run traditional pubs with people at the heart and harness the benefits of modern technology at the same time. A more efficient, innovative and future-ready Greene King means we can reinvest in areas that make a real difference for our people, our pubs and our customers. It is exciting to see how this programme is bringing together teams from across the business to test, learn and scale ideas that support our strategic ambition to be stronger and more agile.

“It is about unlocking better ways of working, simplifying processes and enabling our teams to focus on what matters most – enhancing customers’ experiences.”

The programme’s wider aims include:

• Using data-led insight to identify and deliver innovation and efficiency across the business.

• Making it easier for pub teams to do their jobs through simpler and smarter operating models.

• Creating better customer experiences that encourage new and repeat visits.

• Building a culture of innovation that colleagues across the business can contribute to.

As the programme moves into its second year, Greene King will continue to build on past progress by scaling successful trials, explore further innovation and work collaboratively across functions and pubs teams to deliver further improvements for its pub customers, teams and communities.

Notes to editors

Greene King is the country’s leading pub company and brewer trading c2,500 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland.

At Greene King we are passionate about delivering our purpose to ‘pour happiness into lives’. That’s for our customers, our team, our pub partners, our suppliers and the communities in which we live, operate and serve. Founded in 1799 with offices in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk and Burton on Trent in Staffordshire we employ around 38,000 people across the group and operate three divisions including Managed Pubs, Pub Partners and Brewing & Brands.

• Managed Pubs: Our Managed Pubs division brings together our best-known pub and restaurant brands nationwide, including Greene King pubs, Hungry Horse, Chef & Brewer, Farmhouse Inns and Flaming Grill. We offer great service, quality and value for a wide range of eating and drinking occasions. Ventures includes Hickory’s, Premium (Crafted Pubs & Metropolitan Pub Company) and Hotels, which operate independently of Greene King’s managed pub brands.

• Pub Partners: Pub Partners runs our tenanted and leased pubs business and Hive and Nest franchise pubs. These options combine entrepreneurial independence with practical support, enabling partners to run successful local businesses within a market-leading estate. We have c.1,000 leased, tenanted and franchise pubs.

• Brewing & Brands covers the brewing sides of the business. Quality ales are brewed at the Westgate brewery in Bury St Edmunds and the Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar. Our industry-leading portfolio includes Greene King IPA, Abbot Ale, Ice Breaker and Belhaven Best and our premium beers, Level Head and Hazy Day, brewed for the modern-day drinker.

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