The increasing popularity of weight loss injections presents an “opportunity” for the fast-food chain Leon, its boss believes. John Vincent, the co-founder who recently bought the company back, told the BBC that the dishes Leon serves are the “sort of food people on weight loss jabs want to eat”.
Speaking to the BBC’s Big Boss Interview podcast, Vincent outlined his plans to revive the chain, which include opening more restaurants in service stations, airports and train stations, after closing 20 on the high street. He acknowledged that the impact of the popular appetite-suppressing drugs would mean Leon would “definitely” need to think about portion sizes.
Vincent said helping people on the injections get enough protein and maintain their muscle mass “is just as important as calories, I think”. He agreed the rise in weight loss jabs posed a challenge to the chain, but believed there was “definitely an opportunity for Leon-type food”, which he described as typically low in sugar and flavoured with herbs and spices.
The Leon boss also spoke about the impact of tax rises, which he said were “incredibly toxic” for the hospitality industry. He warned that if business rates increase further, “the only people that are going to survive are those selling… food that’s not very good quality”.
Vincent said Leon had moved away from its original mission of good-quality fast food for the masses, and he plans to bring simplicity back with menu changes this year. “We were not about posh fast food for posh people. That was never our intention,” he said.