Star Pubs & Bars has announced plans to increase its Just Add Talent (JAT) managed operator business from its current 150 pubs to 250 by 2026, which means that it will grow to around 12% of the company’s 2,400 pub estate. The JAT estate was set up by Star in 2016 and saw Punch’s Falcon estate pubs converted to the JAT model when Star took on the Punch pubs in 2018.
The pub company say that the move is on the back of robust trading and the popularity of the JAT model among applicants for pubs and that it’s attractive in a high inflation environment where costs like energy and overheads are covered by Star. And, unlike other managed operator schemes, earning potential is unlimited. Whilst Star Pubs & Bars creates the retail offer centrally and makes sure the right drinks range, food menus and promotional offers are in place, the operators are free to arrange their own activities such as quizzes, sports teams and entertainment.
Says Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs & Bars Managing Director, “Our JAT pubs are great sites which have real appeal to operators and local communities. Although JAT pubs currently make up only 6% of the Star estate, 28% of applicants for our pubs are for JAT pubs.
“Our Just Add Talent pubs are a core part of our overall business. The JAT pubs provide an invaluable source of business insight for the wider L&T estate and Heineken. It allows the company to trial new products and evaluate consumer trends. Learnings from JAT estate and JAT supplier deals are rolled out to our leased & tenanted estate.”
