ProCook has announced that it is now paying the Real Living Wage to its employees. All UK ProCook employees, including temporary workers, will receive at least £9.50 per hour, or £10.85 per hour if they live in London, meaning they will receive the salary calculated by the Living Wage Foundation to meet the true cost of everyday needs. This rate is recalculated annually based on the real cost of living, and companies that sign up to the foundation are required to raise their base pay in line with those published by the Foundation.
The decision to make a voluntary payment is a standout move in the retail sector where some large brands have recently come under fire for not addressing the gap between the official government minimum wage and the real cost of living. The Living Wage Foundation reported this week that a full-time Real Living Wage earner over the age of 23 will receive £1,150 more over the coming year compared with a worker on the minimum wage.
Founder Daniel O’Neill said: “ProCook is a brand with people very much at its heart, so it’s vital that we treat our employees with the respect they deserve and reward them for their contribution to the success of the business. We believe in the Living Wage Foundation’s message that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay, so we’re really pleased to be doing this for our employees. In addition to the Living Wage all employees at ProCook are eligible to receive a performance bonus, which we pay on top of this salary level, so for us a bonus is just that, a bonus, not a payment towards your everyday needs. This has been a tough year for many and at a time when both workers and the British economy need a boost, we believe it’s the right thing to do.”
In 2021 ProCook celebrated 25 years of bringing high-quality, aspirational kitchen and dining ware to home cooks and professionals alike. With own-brand stores across the UK, an eCommerce site and a strong presence in several European markets, the brand is headquartered in Gloucestershire. Despite most stores being closed for the November and December lockdowns, ProCook’s total company sales reached £21m in the run up to and including Christmas 2020. With +132 per cent growth in like-for-like sales online for the period, this was partially offset by an expected drop of 21 per cent in retail sales due to lockdown restrictions. Web sales have recently shown a +330 per cent increase versus the same week a year ago. Sales were driven by increased consumer demand for kitchenware together with significant growth in the newly expanded tableware category.
In light of its current growth, ProCook is also exploring further growth opportunities by pursuing EU markets and expanding its retail portfolio. With an expected annual turnover of over £50m, profits are set to top £10m this financial year. The brand’s store growth strategy for 2021 includes upsizing some of its existing units to develop the in-store experience as well as testing a new concept with a cookery school.
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