The Issa brothers plan to open more Leon and Cooplands branches at gas stations Business

The billionaire Issa brothers plan to open more Leon cafes and Cooplands bakeries at Asda sites and service stations, creating 22,700 jobs.

Blackburn-based contractors will also accelerate openings of brands such as KFC and Starbucks across hundreds of Asda forecourts and car parks.

The brothers have expanded their business at breakneck speed over the years through a series of acquisitions. They are now looking to combine their various offerings.

The openings are a combination of outdoor and indoor locations at Asda petrol stations and supermarkets.

The Issas bought Asda with private equity firm TDR in 2020, followed closely by the acquisition of Leon and Cooplands last year. They also own EG Group, the gas station empire that spans 6,300 locations worldwide.

Cooplands, the UK’s second largest bakery chain, will launch 30 outlets, and Leon at least 50 locations a year over the next five years.

The move is expected to create 32,000 jobs in total, including sites outside the UK. EG Group has also raised wages to £10.05 for UK staff.

The Issas have added Asda stores to their petrol stations and plan to have around 300 in the coming years as they seek to stop shoppers going elsewhere.

Mohsin and Zuber Issa said, “As EG continues to grow stronger, we will create many new jobs over the next few years, particularly in our successful restaurant business, which remains a significant growth opportunity in the future. global scale.

“We are proud to be a UK-based company that invests in creating jobs around the world, whilst focusing strongly on the training and development of colleagues.

EG Group reported a 16.3 per cent rise in underlying profit to $1.4bn (£1bn) in 2021, driven mainly by the sale of its restaurant services.