Casual Dining Group (CDG) is introducing its growth brands Las Iguanas and Bella Italia to Center Parcs.
Both Bella Italia and Las Iguanas (pictured) are to open at Center Parcs Longleat Forest and a further Bella Italia restaurant will also be introduced at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest.
The introduction of the brands to the Center Parcs’ offer demonstrates CDG’s awareness of the changing wants and needs of consumers and acknowledges the growing demand for its Bella Italia and Las Iguanas brands, which champion provenance and authenticity within Italian and South American cuisine respectively.
Both the Las Iguanas and Bella Italia brands are in significant growth, with 55 Las Iguanas restaurants now operating and sites in Brighton Marina, Braintree, Bournemouth and Chelmsford lined up for opening by the end of the year. CDG plans to open 20 sites a year for the brand in the next two years.
Bella Italia is also seeing strong expansion, including internationally, with 112 sites now open and CDG last month announcing a franchise deal in Saudi Arabia which will see 18 Bella Italia sites open in the country over the next four years.
Mark Nelson, CDG’s director of concessions, franchising and international development said: “I’m particularly excited about introducing Las Iguanas to Center Parcs – it’s the brand’s first concession and the perfect match for Center Parcs’ visitors.”
CDG is also launching a new Gelato Café at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest, which will offer drinks and desserts and is based on its Bella Italia Gelato Cart concept available at Bella, where customers select their own number of gelato scoops, flavours and toppings, with gelato sourced from the Callipo family Gelateria in Pizzo, Italy.
The café will have its own gelato vehicle inspired by the company’s first full size gelato van at its Bluewater shopping centre site in Kent, its biggest Bella Italia site to date.
Mark Nelson adds: “Bella Italia’s gelato cart concept has proved a very successful addition to the brand’s offer and Center Parcs is the ideal location to develop that concept with a stand-alone café, building on the successes and learnings we have gained through the Bella offer.”
Eddie McAdam, Group Food & Beverage/Retail Manager adds: “We are really excited to be welcoming the Bella and Las Iguanas brands and the new Gelato Café to Center Parcs. These exciting brands will enable us to continue to deliver excellent dining experiences to Center Parcs’ guests.”
Hawtons Bar & Restaurant, a stand-alone concept which CDG opened at Center Parcs Longleat Forest in December 2013, is to be replaced by Café Rouge.