Carluccio’s, founded by the late chef Antonio Carluccio in 1999 and once a staple of the British high street, is moving in on the vending machines market, after the company was bought out of administration last year.
A new unit is currently being trialled in a Budgens store in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, and is equipped with a food-to-go cabinet and self-service coffee, not dissimilar to those operated by Costa in service stations.
BRG, which is behind the likes of Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Slim Chickens, and Giraffe, bought Carluccio’s for £3.4m last year and has ambitious plans to reinvigorate the brand.
Earlier this month, BRG announced a five-year plan to open 500 branches of its new Caffé Carluccio’s concept in high streets, travel hubs, and in Sainsbury’s supermarkets. The company said the move will create 7,500 jobs.
Carluccio’s has been famous for its signature Italian coffee blends since 1999. The brand is trusted for its quality and authenticity and vending is just one of a number of new formats that are being explored in a bid to to bring Carluccio’s to more customers.
A company spokesperson said: “Carluccio’s real Italian coffee-to-go is a self-serve freshly ground beans and fresh milk retail and roadside concession proposition which is currently being tested.”
Only 30 Carluccio’s restaurants remain open in the UK, less than half the number that existed before the pandemic kicked in.
More Coffee and Vending new HERE at Planet Vending
