orchid_group_pizza
12 Orchid Group
Key personnel: Rufus Hall, chief executive; Simon Dodd, commercial and people director
Orchid was sold to Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) for £266m in June, signalling the end of the road for a company that began life back in 2006. Boss Rufus Hall had overseen successful refinancing of the business after a prolonged period of constraints, paving the way for capital investment focusing on its scaleable formats: Pizza Kitchen Bar, Great British Carvery and All Inns. The company was recognised for best practice in its training and people policies with a number of awards. The remaining 49 sites that are not included in the M&B deal have been placed in to administration.
