Greene King once again boosted by food amid strong Christmas sales

Food has once again helped Greene King boost its managed division, where like-for-like sales rose 8.2% in the seven weeks to 15 January 2012, with food up 11.1%.

Meanwhile, average earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in its Pub Partners division, the tenanted and leased estate, were also up by 5.9% in the past eight weeks.

And volumes of its core-brand own-brewed beers also climbed by 7.4%.

Chief executive Rooney Anand said: "It is clear that, even in these difficult times, customers still look for enjoyment and some respite from the financial pressures they are facing. Across the UK, the pub becomes the real heart of the community during Christmas. Supported by better weather conditions than in the previous year, we saw record Christmas bookings and our like-for-like sales in Christmas week were up 17%. Food sales were £1.7m on Christmas Day alone, and we sold 365,000 Christmas meals in December, another record for Greene King."

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By Neil Gerrard

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