What's happened
Hinba, a Scottish hospitality group founded in 2019, has doubled in size over 18 months, now operating seven venues across Glasgow and the west coast. Despite industry pressures, it focuses on expansion and resilience, including acquiring restaurants and a bakery, with a 150% turnover growth last year.
What's behind the headline?
Hinba's rapid growth highlights a countertrend in the Scottish hospitality industry, which faces widespread closures due to economic pressures. Its strategy of opportunistic expansion and operational resilience suggests a shift towards more data-driven, adaptable business models. This approach may enable Hinba to withstand ongoing sector challenges, but it also underscores the fragility of smaller operators in a tough economic climate. The group's focus on acquiring established venues like Zique's and Eighty Eight indicates confidence in the long-term viability of brick-and-mortar hospitality, despite broader sector struggles. Their emphasis on controlling wastage and forecasting sales based on weather and data signals a professionalization that could set a new standard for resilience in the industry.
What the papers say
Rosalind Erskine of The Scotsman reports on Hinba's growth, emphasizing its doubling in size and strategic acquisitions amid a challenging industry. Stephen Jardine highlights the broader crisis in Scottish hospitality, citing closures like the Bon Vivant in Edinburgh due to economic pressures, increased costs, and high VAT rates. The Independent provides a personal account of the ongoing trauma of a family with a missing teenager, illustrating the emotional toll of unresolved crises, contrasting sharply with the business resilience story. While The Scotsman and Jardine focus on economic and sector-wide issues, The Independent offers a human perspective on personal tragedy, showing the varied impacts of societal pressures.
How we got here
Hinba started as a single coffee shop in Oban in 2019. Amid rising costs and closures in the hospitality sector, it has grown by seizing opportunities, acquiring venues, and expanding into restaurants. The business emphasizes resilience through data-driven operations and strategic acquisitions, aiming to consolidate its presence in Glasgow and beyond.
Go deeper
Common question
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What’s Behind Hinba’s Rapid Expansion in Scotland?
Hinba’s swift growth in Scotland has caught the attention of industry watchers. Starting as a single coffee shop in Oban in 2019, it has doubled in size over just 18 months, now operating seven venues across Glasgow and the west coast. This expansion raises questions about what’s driving such success in a challenging industry. How are Scottish hospitality businesses coping with rising costs and economic pressures? And what does Hinba’s growth say about the broader Scottish economy? Below, we explore these questions and more to understand the story behind this remarkable business journey.
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