Andrew Lynch, CEO, SSP

There’s no doubt that our industry, as many others, has faced some testing challenges over the last financial year, and these look set to continue into 2012. A measure, however, of our determination and drive here at SSP are the results we have achieved against this backdrop. Our like for like sales grew by 4.8% in the year to September 2011, rising to over £1.7 billion, with some strong growth in transaction numbers and spend.

Alongside a number of significant business wins in 2011, I am delighted that we have also achieved a retention rate of over 85%, in what has been a very busy year.

Commercial success such as this starts with getting the basics right. For us, there is no substitute for offering our customers the very best foods, from a simple ham sandwich, to a serving of the finest caviar.

Three new brands we are introducing are spot on when it comes to delivering what the consumer wants right now. Our new Asian fusion brand nam-po! taps into the current vogue for Thai, Indonesian, Japanese and Chinese foods, cleverly offering each style in a selection of dishes that meets this demand, but also works practically within the travel environment.

When the craze for sushi first started in the UK, it was YO! Sushi that lead the way. Today it’s still the ‘go-to’ brand for an authentic Japanese sushi restaurant experience, and I’m delighted that we’ve added it to our portfolio. Mexican food is another ‘must-have’ and our new brand Mi Casa Burritos, will meet the rising demand for the fresh and spicy flavours of the cantina.

Fantastic food is one of the essentials of our business, and it’s one of the reasons why we’ve been able to deliver outstanding financial results again this year. In 2012 we look forward to developing new relationships and existing partnerships with clients and brand partners around the world. We will continue to make the best of the commercial opportunities the year brings.