Asian restaurant and grocery chain Itsu has announced all in-store workers paid weekly will get an 11% wage increase from today (17 September).
The rise will be effective from 1 October for those paid monthly and will see entry-level pay go up to a minimum £10.40 per hour for 1,000 employees at its 72 stores across the UK. This will apply to all owned restaurants and will be optional for franchise operators.
According to the business, this decision was made in order to make Itsu an “attractive proposition” for anyone wishing to join its workforce and to ensure current staff want to stay in their roles. It also offers full or part-time positions to match the flexible needs of its employees and does not recruit using zero-hour contracts.
In addition, the chain provides its workers with paid breaks, a free meal when working and 50% off Itsu at anytime, a holiday allowance of 28 days of annual leave, and access to a 24/7 support helpline in order to manage employees’ health and wellbeing.
Ganan Kanagathurai, UK CEO of Itsu, commented that the team is “delighted” to announce that it is “leading the way” in the hospitality industry by increasing wages for new and existing members of staff.
“This investment reinforces our commitment to the people that deliver the outstanding quality food and customer service levels we are renowned for in the market. An investment in our people is an investment in the business,” he said.
Julian Metcalfe, founder of Itsu, added: “Our team members are the heart of our business and the face of our brand for our customers in-store. Itsu has always offered an incredibly attractive career path and this announcement will only increase the number of people that want to join our mission to deliver high quality, nutritious food at an affordable price.”
