Tiffinbites on the brink of administration

According to the Times Online, Gourmet Restaurants is close to appointing Chantrey Vellacott DFK administrators after just completing seven months of expansion, which included tghe acquisition of the Bombay Bicycle Club. Jamal Hirnani, who has always been held in high esteem by the business press and the restaurant industry itself, has reportedly quit the company. The newspaper says that phone calls to Hirani are being met with a message that states: "Due to personal reasons, I'm currently out of the business." Expressions of interest for the company have already been received, according to The Times. The news will come as a surprise to the restaurant and catering industry as Hirani had recently featured in many newspaper profiles and TV documentaries detailing his plans for rapid, global expansion. Tiffinbites, once an Eat Out Magazine Top 50 foodservice operator, reported soaring profits in May 2008 that saw sales during a six week period rise by over 40%. At the time Hirani said: "Every Wednesday, Tiffinbites supplies food to the canteens of over 200 blue chip companies including Citigroup, Barclays and the BBC. Tiffin Wednesdays have been operating in offices from Inverness to Southampton since 2005. But since the economic slowdown, we have noticed an upturn in profits from canteen sales. Whereas many workers would normally go out for lunch, they are now choosing to save money by eating on site." Tiffinbites serves 250,000 meals a week in offices, universities, hospitals and across its restaurant sites. Compass Group, which allowed Tiffinbites to operate 'Tiffin Wednesdays' said that only two units now carry the Tiffinbites offer and due to its own supply chain changes this news will have little effect on the company.