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Welcome to The Checkout by Kuro House, your daily AI and tech update. Today, we’ve got some exciting moves from retail and food brands shaking up their leadership and growth strategies. Plus, a new environmental scheme that could change how vending machines operate across the UK.

First up, Wingstop UKI has made a strategic hire to fuel its rapid expansion in the UK and Ireland. According to The Retail Bulletin, Alistair Fraser, formerly of Ocado and Burger King UK, is now their group finance director. He’s bringing deep financial expertise to the table and will be a key player on Wingstop’s senior leadership team. This appointment follows other recent leadership additions, signaling Wingstop’s serious drive to grow its footprint and brand loyalty. Fraser himself highlighted the brand’s market-leading culture and loyal fan base as major assets for future success.

Over in luxury beauty, Rituals celebrated a milestone year with impressive revenue growth. The Retail Bulletin reports Rituals increased net revenue by 16 percent to 2.43 billion euros in 2025, their 25th anniversary. They opened over 200 new boutiques worldwide, including flagship stores in London, Zurich, and Barcelona. Founder Raymond Cloosterman emphasized their unique blend of high-end luxury with accessibility, calling it ‘Feelgood Luxury.’ Looking ahead, Rituals plans to invest heavily in store refits, product innovation, and expanding in Asia, all while committing over 30 million euros to impact projects.

Now, let’s talk fashion, where Sumwon Studios, the parent of Missguided, just reported some eye-popping numbers. Retail Gazette shared that their full-year net sales tripled to 235 million pounds in 2025, up from 78 million the year before. Units sold jumped 225 percent to 25 million, showing how quickly they’re capturing shopper demand in real time. The company plans to keep investing in talent, technology, and brand development to sustain this rapid growth globally. Founder Nitin Passi stressed the importance of speed, customer closeness, and disciplined execution in their strategy.

In grocery news, Booths has reshaped its leadership team to accelerate growth and innovation. Retail Gazette reports Nigel Murray is the new CEO, leading a fresh executive team focused on expanding the 178-year-old family retailer. Notably, Emma Booth, from the sixth generation of the family and the first female family member on the board, was promoted to chief brand officer. This team aims to unlock new market opportunities, including direct-to-consumer channels and manufacturing expansion. Booths also posted record-breaking Christmas sales, underscoring strong momentum as they enter this new chapter.

Finally, a big environmental update affecting vending and automated retail in the UK. Retail Times reports the government’s new deposit return scheme, called ‘Exchange for Change,’ has been welcomed by the AVA. The AVA successfully advocated for vending operators to be exempt from providing return points, which is crucial for this sector. With the UK’s 3.6 billion-pound vending industry adapting to new environmental laws, this exemption helps avoid unnecessary fees and logistical headaches. The scheme is set to roll out by October 2027, with ongoing efforts to keep the process fair and practical for automated retail.

So, whether it’s new leadership, booming sales, or environmental innovation, these stories show how dynamic the retail and food sectors remain. Thanks for tuning in to The Checkout by Kuro House. We’ll catch you tomorrow with more updates in AI and tech shaping our world.