Veeno to open in Epping and Milton Keynes

Wine bar group Veeno is to open two locations in Epping and Milton Keynes, as it remains on the lookout for franchise partners to continue their UK expansion.

Veeno which currently operates seven company-owned and two franchised sites, is also looking to expand its footprint in Scotland, with a site in Glasgow and two in Edinburgh under consideration.

“We try to build our model around making sure we have a stable business in terms of rent and business rates,” Trouillet says. “Rents are still unreasonable in London.

“One day we’ll make it there, but it’s about being cautious due to uncertainty. We’re finding other locations with opportunities.”

The Veeno estate runs from Edinburgh to Surrey, with market towns across the country high on the target list.

“Fairly affluent market towns have been successful for us,” Trouillet adds. “We don’t necessarily go for high street locations; we want to be more of a destination.

“It’s challenging to be physically present in Scotland so we’re looking to franchise more there.”

The chain is further targeting transport hubs, as well as mixed-use areas that can benefit from office workers during the week and residential populations over the weekend.

“We’re suffering from work-from-home like everyone. We’re careful of getting that balance in trading and not just being in an office hub.”

Locations for future sites will be determined depending on franchise partners. The group is looking to open two to five sites per year, primarily franchised.

“There is no number, but ideally two to five would be a benchmark,” Trouillet continues. “We think the concept can work internationally.

“We’re not a restaurant or a pub; we sit somewhere in between. We’re a lean operation, we don’t need a huge kitchen.”

Veeno is looking at potential partners to go international in the coming years, but the priority at the moment is to keep the business as lean as possible and maintain stability.

“People are coming out less and spend per head is a bit lower than what it used to be,” Trouillet reports. “There are less covers, especially on a weekday.

“Having said that, we as a concept do provide experiences.”

Through experiences such as wine tasting, the business aims to differentiate and offer value.

“We know Q1 next year will be a challenge,” he continues. “We’re not high end, but we provide excellent quality and service. We’re having to adapt in terms of promotions and offers to offer incentives.”

Article by Shwetali Sapte, MCA

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