Pret opened its first 'Pod' kiosk in the Pallasades shopping centre, Birmingham, in November 2007, just in time for the Christmas shopping spree. The 'Pod' is a stand-alone kiosk that is located in areas of high footfall, where space is at a premium.

The first 'Pod' is being used as a test site to determine the potential for this style of offer in both shopping centre and transport hub locations, such as railway stations and airports. The Pallasades 'Pod' is able to reach both the retail user and, due to its location adjacent to New Street Station, the passing commuter.

The 'Pod' is a departure from the typical Pret unit blueprint in many ways. Firstly, there is no integrated production kitchen - the Pod is serviced by a nearby Pret site, albeit with a reduced range of sandwiches due to space considerations. Secondly, the 'Pod' can be assembled in two days without the need for planning permission or drainage (each Pod has its own water reservoir for beverages). Finally, occupying a footprint of approximately 135 sq ft - less than a tenth of the space required for a full Pret offer - the fit-out cost is less than £70,000, compared to typically £400,000 for a full store fit-out.

The 'Pod' is unmistakeably Pret, with its corporate branding of brushed metal and maroon signage. It's an attractive and easy maintenance unit, which would grace any mall or station concourse.

Rushing to catch a train, we had two cappuccinos, a Classic Super Club sandwich and a Posh cheddar and pickle baguette, all for the takeaway price of £9.56. Service was slick, befitting the 'grab and go' nature of the 'Pod' and the food was typically Pret fresh.

The 'Pod' is an excellent alternative for time-constrained users and space-constrained landlords seeking quality products, and we fully expect the striking silver kiosks to start appearing across the country in the near future.

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