INDEX / DIRECTORY / PRET A MANGER / MILITARY

Pret A Manger MILITARY

MILITARY AUDIT UPDATED 2026-09-01
Military Score 0.00 /10 E Pret A Manger - Complicity Index 132
Military 0.00

Evidence-only forensic audit. Scoring happens downstream - see the main dossier for the composite assessment.

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Direct Defence Contracting & Procurement

No public evidence identified in the targeted searches or reviewed records of contracts, tenders, framework agreements, memoranda of understanding, SIBAT listings, defence-exhibition listings, or official cooperation announcements linking Pret A Manger to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, IDF, Israel Prison Service, Border Police, or another Israeli security body.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Pret’s identified business activity is freshly prepared food, coffee, food-and-drink retail, packaging, and related supply-chain operations rather than defence production or procurement.7, 8, 9

Fox-Wizel, Yarzin Sella, and Pret A Manger (Europe) Limited entered a binding Israeli franchise agreement on 3 April 2023, after an earlier non-binding agreement in principle.4, 10 The agreement contemplated an Israeli franchise company owned 80% by Fox-Wizel and 20% by Yarzin Sella, with exclusive rights to establish and operate Pret outlets in Israel and a minimum of 40 outlets during the first ten years.4 This was a civilian food-and-coffee franchise arrangement, not a defence, security, construction, or logistics contract.4, 5, 6

No public evidence identified in the completed targeted searches or reviewed JAB corporate, SEC, and regulatory disclosures of an Israeli Ministry of Defense, IDF, prison, police, border-security, military-logistics, or defence-prime contract, supply relationship, investment, or service by JAB or a disclosed controlling principal during Pret’s ownership period.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 This is a bounded public-record finding rather than a registry-wide clearance, because the reviewed ownership materials do not cover every JAB portfolio company, personal vehicle, foundation, or undisclosed relationship.1, 2, 3, 13, 15

Dual-Use Products & Tactical Variants

Pret’s 2024 impact report describes shops selling freshly made food, organic coffee, food, drink, and packaging.7

Pret’s 2023 modern-slavery statement similarly characterises its core activity as freshly prepared food and coffee.8

No public evidence identified of tactical, ruggedised, military-specification, or defence-grade Pret products, including sales to Israeli security forces.7, 8

No public evidence identified of Israeli defence end-user certificates, export-licence applications, or export-control decisions involving Pret products.7, 8, 5

Heavy Machinery, Construction & Infrastructure

No public evidence identified of Pret equipment, vehicles, construction services, or engineering activity at settlements, the separation barrier, checkpoints, demolitions, military installations, or associated construction and engineering projects.4, 5, 6

Contemporaneous reporting described the proposed first Israeli location as Tel Aviv or Tel Aviv Port, while later reporting also referred to an unspecified shopping centre north of Tel Aviv.17, 18, 19 The TASE-recorded franchise termination and settlement do not identify an authorised Pret site in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, or another occupied-territory location.5, 6

Who Profits reports that Fox Group - the intended franchise counterparty - operated subsidiary stores in named West Bank settlements and East Jerusalem settlement neighbourhoods and the Atarot Industrial Zone, with information stated as valid to 20 April 2023.20 This is specialist-investigation reporting about Fox Group’s separately described retail activity, not evidence of Pret supply, Pret operations, or a Pret settlement location.5, 6, 20

The binding Pret franchise was terminated before any verified outlet opening, and the reviewed sources identify no actual Pret operation in Israel or the occupied territories.5, 6 This remains record-scoped, as no primary Israeli corporate-registry extract, franchise agreement, or store-opening record resolving all reports was obtained.21, 22, 5, 6

Supply Chain Integration with Defence Primes

No public evidence identified of component supply, manufacturing services, joint development, co-production, technology transfer, licensed manufacturing, or other supply-chain integration between Pret and Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries, Rafael, IMI/Elbit Land, or another Israeli defence prime.8, 5

Pret reported 81 UK food-and-drink suppliers across 122 manufacturing sites in its 2023 modern-slavery statement, without disclosing an Israeli security customer, military procurement contract, or military-specific end use.8

No public evidence identified in the completed targeted searches establishing that an entity controlled by a disclosed JAB or Pret principal has documented Israeli military, prison, security, or occupation-infrastructure activity.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 Fox Group’s reported settlement retail activity is not attributable to Pret or JAB because Fox-Wizel was the intended, then former, franchise counterparty.5, 6, 20

Logistical Sustainment & Base Services

No public evidence identified of Pret catering, transport, facilities management, freight, port handling, or other sustainment services to IDF bases, detention facilities, checkpoints, security installations, or military cargo.4, 5, 6

On 30 May 2024, Pret notified the franchisee that it was cancelling the licence agreement, asserting force majeure associated with the war beginning on 7 October 2023 and its claimed effect on pre-opening activity.5 Reporting attributed the cancellation to travel restrictions affecting market-entry checks and training, as well as an inability to insure colleague travel to Israel under Pret’s travel policy.17, 18

Fox-Wizel reported that Pret commenced London arbitration on 29 July 2024 concerning the validity and effects of the termination, and the parties settled on 30 September 2024 without admissions.5, 6 Under the settlement, Pret was to pay the franchise company £3 million within seven days.6

The settlement provides that, if Pret decides to open shops in Israel during the 36 months following 30 September 2024, it must invite the former franchise company or its shareholders to enter a new licence agreement on substantially similar terms.5, 6 This contingent provision does not establish that Pret decided to open, that a new licence was made, or that an outlet opened.5, 6

Munitions, Weapons Systems & Strategic Platforms

No public evidence identified of Pret manufacturing or supplying weapons, munitions, military platforms, missile-defence systems, or lethal or strategic subsystems.23, 24, 25

The available corporate records classify Pret’s principal UK operating entities under food-retail activities.23, 24, 25

Export Licensing, Regulatory & Legal History

No public evidence identified of arms-export licence decisions, sanctions or export-control enforcement, or litigation concerning a Pret defence-supply relationship with Israel.5, 6

The May 2024 termination, London arbitration, and September 2024 settlement concerned a civilian franchise licence rather than an arms-export licence, military end-user certificate, or security contract.5, 6

Pret A Manger Limited remains an active English private limited holding company, incorporated on 31 May 2018 and formerly named JAB (Acquisition) Ltd; its latest filed accounts are made up to 1 January 2026 and its latest confirmation statement is dated 30 May 2026.26, 21 Pret A Manger (Europe) Limited remains active with food-retail SIC codes, with accounts made up to 1 January 2026 and a confirmation statement dated 5 January 2026.23, 27 Pret A Manger (International) Limited remains active with food-retail SIC codes, with accounts made up to 1 January 2026 and a confirmation statement dated 9 March 2026.25, 22

Companies House identifies Pret A Manger Limited as the sole active person with significant control of Pret A Manger (Europe) Limited, holding more than 75% of shares and voting rights and the right to appoint or remove directors.1 Pret announced in 2018 that JAB would acquire the company through an investment vehicle of JAB Holding Company and JAB Consumer Fund, while JAB’s 2022 prospectus identifies Pret Parent Holding I Ltd within the Pret Panera holding structure.2, 3

JAB’s 2023 annual report identifies Pret Panera Holdings B.V. as a consolidated entity and lists Pret A Manger in its fast-casual restaurant portfolio, alongside investment platforms described as consumer goods and services.11 These ownership disclosures establish group integration but do not establish an Israeli-security relationship.11, 12

Civil Society Scrutiny & Documented Investigations

The UN Special Rapporteur’s 2025 report names Pret A Manger among companies said to have withdrawn from the Israeli market, but the cited passage does not allege defence contracting, supply to a security body, settlement activity, or a weapons relationship.28

The report’s withdrawal reference is consistent with the TASE record of Pret’s May 2024 termination and September 2024 settlement of the proposed Israeli franchise arrangement.28, 5, 6

Pret’s 2024 impact report states that it had 717 shops across 20 markets at year-end 2024 and contains no reference to Israel.7

Globes reported prospective boycott pressure from pro-Palestinian organisations if Pret opened in Israel; this is reporting of anticipated consumer activism rather than a verified defence-sector boycott campaign or institutional divestment decision.17

The reviewed materials contain conflicting 2024 reporting on whether a Tel Aviv Port branch was cancelled or later scheduled, while the subsequently reviewed TASE records establish the termination and settlement but do not verify an operational Pret-branded outlet.19, 29, 5, 6

The supplied document checks found no Pret mention in the 2023 or 2025 OHCHR settlement-business database updates, PAX’s June 2024 Companies Arming Israel and Their Financiers, Al-Haq’s July 2024 Business and Human Rights, and the specified Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, BDS, BankTrack, KLP, and Who Profits multi-company reports.28 These are document-scoped no-hits rather than comprehensive findings about all possible reporting.28

No public evidence identified of a published NGO, UN, court, or regulatory investigation specifically alleging that Pret supplies Israeli military, prison, police, border-security, or defence-prime customers.28, 5, 6

Pret’s May 2025 announcement identified Pano Christou as CEO and José Cil as Chair.30 Companies House lists Christou, Edward Evans, and Gustavo Henrique Lins Peixoto as active directors of Pret A Manger (Europe) Limited, while Pret A Manger (International) Limited lists Christou and Peixoto as its active directors.31, 32

Pret’s April 2024 announcement appointed JAB Partner Konrad Meyer as Chair and identified Sinclair Beecham and Larry Billett as returning to the Board, while the May 2025 announcement identified Meyer as remaining a director and named Elias Diaz Sese and Andre Molinari as additional Board appointees.33, 30 JAB’s current team page identifies Joachim Creus and Frank Engelen as Managing Partners and Co-CEOs, José Cil as Senior Partner and Global Head of Consumer, and Meyer as a Partner.34

A 2021 SEC filing stated that Agnaten SE and Lucresca SE were controlled by Renate Reimann-Haas, Wolfgang Reimann, Stefan Reimann-Andersen, and Matthias Reimann-Andersen, and that those four, Peter Harf, and Olivier Goudet exercised voting and investment authority over the relevant JAB vehicle.14 An August 2025 Arizona regulatory order independently identifies the four Reimann principals among petitioners seeking control of two US insurers.13 These disclosures identify ownership or governance roles but do not establish military-channel activity.13, 14, 16

No public evidence identified in the reviewed sources of FIDF or reservist-fund donations, Israeli defence-prime equity, defence-board roles, or public co-belligerency statements by Pano Christou, José Cil, Joachim Creus, Frank Engelen, Peter Harf, Olivier Goudet, or the named Reimann controlling principals.12, 13, 14, 15, 16

A 2017 Hadassah International Israel newsletter lists Harel Wizel as a trustee and describes fundraising for a rehabilitation centre serving IDF-disabled soldiers and veterans, but it neither identifies him as a donor nor links the activity to Pret or the later proposed franchise.35 Reporting that Wizel attended a 2026 “Special in Uniform” event likewise does not report a donation, sponsorship, security contract, Pret participation, or JAB participation.19

The reviewed UK registry records and Pret corporate releases do not identify an Israeli subsidiary, Israeli registered office, Israeli franchisee, Israeli location, or occupied-territory location; this is a record-scoped finding and not proof that no such entity, franchisee, or location exists.17, 18, 36, 19, 29, 26, 25

Footnotes

  1. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01854213/persons-with-significant-control ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. https://www.pret.com/en-GB/pr-media-release-jab-acquire ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  3. https://www.jabholco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Prospectus-_2022-06-27.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. https://mayafiles.tase.co.il/rpdf/1523001-1524000/P1523120-00.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  5. https://mayafiles.tase.co.il/rpdf/1629001-1630000/P1629173-00.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19 ↩20

  6. https://mayafiles.tase.co.il/RHtm/1620001-1621000/H1620584.htm ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18

  7. https://assets.ctfassets.net/4zu8gvmtwqss/3z69vaKjDXMltBHJ3Gzgse/08f7e0b9610ceb9ab5cc4e70cb31e7f0/Pret_A_Manger_Impact_Report_2025.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  8. https://assets.ctfassets.net/4zu8gvmtwqss/6aHJ0Vk9rxTgwNAo28HqBV/d4f17390072d1b095f2d555b5c0ffe51/Pret_A_Manger_Limited_Modern_Slavery_Statement_2023_Updated.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  9. https://www.pret.com/en-GB/privacy-policy ↩

  10. https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-fox-signs-deal-to-bring-pret-a-manger-to-israel-1001433535 ↩

  11. https://www.jabholco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/JAB_Holding_Company_S.ar_.l-Annual_Report-2023.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  12. https://www.jabholco.com/team/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  13. https://difi.az.gov/sites/default/files/250101.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  14. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1857154/000119312521177720/d107564ds1.htm ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  15. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1857154/000110465924088614/tm2421513d1_sc13da.htm ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  16. https://s23.q4cdn.com/980953510/files/doc_financials/proxy/2025-Proxy-Statement-2.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  17. https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-pret-a-manger-cancels-plans-to-open-in-israel-1001480264 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  18. https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/06/02/pret-a-manger-calls-of-foray-into-israel-because-of-war-in-gaza/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  19. https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/r10c6jcz0 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  20. https://www.whoprofits.org/companies/company/7377/ar ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  21. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11391321/filing-history ↩ ↩2

  22. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14722221/filing-history ↩ ↩2

  23. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01854213 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  24. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14722221 ↩ ↩2

  25. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14722221 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  26. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11391321 ↩ ↩2

  27. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01854213/filing-history ↩

  28. https://www.un.org/unispal/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-hrc-59-23-auv.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  29. https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/r1ttwatv0 ↩ ↩2

  30. https://www.pret.co.uk/en-GB/pr-pret-a-manger-appoints-jose-cil-as-chairman ↩ ↩2

  31. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/14722221/officers ↩

  32. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01854213/officers ↩

  33. https://www.pret.com/en-GB/pr-new-board-appointments ↩

  34. https://www.jabholco.com/team/ ↩

  35. https://hadassahinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Hadassah-International-Israel-English-Newsletter-5-June-2017.pdf ↩

  36. https://www.timesofisrael.com/britains-pret-a-manger-coffee-chain-set-for-foray-into-israel/amp/ ↩