Group revenue was up 14% to £2.03 billion and pre-tax profits up 11% to £357 million.
The Hotels and Restaurants division made a profit of £313 million, largely driven by Premier Inn and the success of London’s Olympic and Paralympic Games last summer.
Whitbread’s flagship brand Costa announced profits surpassing £90 million up a staggering 29% and the popular coffee chain is on course to double its sales to £2 billion by 2018.
The group created 3,000 new jobs in the UK during 2012/13, with a further 12,000 expected over the next five years.
Anthony Habgood, chairman, said this set of results shows that there’s no stopping the business: “Whitbread has grown its total sales in the year by over 14% and continued to produce strong operating cash flows of over £500 million. This has funded both significant organic investment to grow our businesses and a double digit percentage increase in our dividends while maintaining prudent debt levels. With the Premier Inn and Costa brand propositions going from strength to strength this growth is set to continue.”
Andy Harrison, chief executive, added that this year is going as planned: “In the first few weeks of our new financial year, group trading has been in line with our plan. Premier Inn has maintained its positive momentum. The unseasonably cold weather has held back sales within Restaurants, and benefitted Costa.”