Pret A Manger Digital Audit

1. Executive Intelligence Summary

1.1. Audit Scope and Strategic Objective

This Technographic Audit was commissioned to rigorously evaluate the digital and operational ecosystem of Pret A Manger, specifically to determine its Digital Complicity Score concerning the State of Israel, the occupation of Palestine, and the associated military-industrial complex known as the “Unit 8200” ecosystem. The objective extends beyond surface-level affiliations to the deep-layer dependencies that define modern corporate architecture. In an era where digital supply chains are as critical as physical ones, the reliance on cybersecurity, analytics, and cloud infrastructure originating from geopolitical flashpoints constitutes a material form of support. This report documents, evidences, and analyzes these dependencies, operating under the directive to identify companies whose leadership, ownership, or operations materially or ideologically support the target state’s surveillance or militarisation apparatus.

The audit addresses four Core Intelligence Requirements (CIRs):

1. The “Unit 8200” Stack: Identification of cybersecurity, cloud, and analytics vendors with origins in the Israeli defense establishment, specifically looking for reliance on dual-use firms.
2. Surveillance & Biometrics: Analysis of “Retail Tech” and “Loss Prevention” mechanisms to detect the presence of Israeli-origin behavioral analytics or facial recognition technologies.
3. Digital Transformation (Project Future): Evaluation of the integrators and architectural decisions driving Pret’s IT overhaul, specifically regarding the enforcement of specific tech stacks.
4. Cloud & Data Sovereignty: Investigation of data residency, cloud provider relationships, and participation in government-sovereignty cloud initiatives like Project Nimbus.

1.2. Key Intelligence Findings

The investigation has uncovered a complex, bifurcated geopolitical profile for Pret A Manger. While the organization recently executed a high-profile, widely publicized withdrawal from a direct franchise operation in Israel—citing “force majeure” due to the ongoing conflict—its digital infrastructure remains heavily entangled with the Israeli high-tech sector. This duality suggests a strategy of Operational Distancing coupled with Technological Entrenchment.

• The “Reverse Boycott” (Operational Withdrawal): In June 2024, Pret A Manger invoked a “force majeure” clause to terminate its 10-year franchise agreement with the Tel Aviv-based Fox Group and Yarzin Sella Group. While optically a divestment, intelligence confirms that Pret agreed to pay $3.9 million (approx. £3m) in compensation to these Israeli entities.¹ This settlement represents a direct capital injection into major Israeli corporate actors during a period of economic instability, effectively serving as a “break fee” that materially benefits the local economy despite the market exit.
• The “Unit 8200” Cybersecurity Backbone: The audit has positively identified deep dependencies on the Israeli cybersecurity ecosystem. Pret’s engineering and security infrastructure relies on CyberArk for privileged access management and Palo Alto Networks for network security.³ Both firms are foundational pillars of the “Unit 8200” commercial pipeline, with Palo Alto Networks maintaining massive R&D operations in Tel Aviv and CyberArk being headquartered in Petah Tikva.
• Analytics & Behavioral Biometrics: A critical finding is Pret’s reliance on Adjust for its mobile application analytics. While Adjust is a German entity, its fraud prevention capabilities are powered by its acquisition of the Israeli AI startup Unbotify, which utilizes behavioral biometrics developed in Tel Aviv.⁵ This confirms that user interaction data from the “Club Pret” app is processed through algorithms derived from the Israeli surveillance innovation sector.
• Parent Company Ideology (JAB Holding): Pret’s parent company, JAB Holding Company, controlled by the Reimann family, presents a nuanced risk profile. Following the public acknowledgment of the family’s Nazi past, JAB established the Alfred Landecker Foundation. This foundation funds initiatives such as “Decoding Anti-Semitism,” which employs Artificial Intelligence to monitor online hate speech.⁸ These philanthropic investments often create soft-power bridges to Israeli academic and technical institutions, creating an ideological supply chain that parallels the commercial one.

1.3. Digital Complicity Assessment

Based on the Technographic Complicity Scale, Pret A Manger is assessed as MODERATE-HIGH.

• Physical Presence: Zero (Post-Withdrawal).
• Financial Complicity: Moderate ($3.9M Settlement Payment).
• Digital/Technological Complicity: High (Critical dependency on CyberArk, Palo Alto Networks, and Israeli-R&D analytics).

The organization has effectively outsourced the security of its digital perimeter and the integrity of its customer identity data to the “Startup Nation” ecosystem. While it does not sell sandwiches in occupied territories, it relies on the technological fruits of that economy to sell sandwiches elsewhere.

2. Theoretical Framework: The Technographic Audit

To understand the gravity of the findings, one must first establish the framework of a Technographic Audit in the context of geopolitical conflict. Traditional boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) analysis focuses on physical supply chains: where raw materials are sourced, where factories are located, and where products are sold. However, in the 21st century, the Digital Supply Chain is equally critical.

2.1. The Concept of Digital Complicity

Digital Complicity refers to the reliance of an organization on software, hardware, and cloud services that are developed, maintained, or profited from by entities directly involved in state violence or occupation. This is particularly relevant in the case of Israel, where the technology sector—specifically cybersecurity and surveillance—is inextricably linked to the military apparatus.

• The “Dual-Use” Nature: Technologies developed by veterans of the IDF’s Unit 8200 (Signals Intelligence) are frequently commercialized as enterprise security or analytics products. A firewall or an identity vault used by a UK coffee shop often runs on code originally conceptualized for military network defense or intelligence gathering.
• Economic Rent: When a company like Pret A Manger licenses software from Check Point or CyberArk, licensing fees flow back to R&D centers in Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva. These funds sustain the high wages of the Israeli tech sector, which is a primary engine of the state’s economy and tax base.
• Normalization: The ubiquity of these vendors in Western enterprise stacks serves to normalize the Israeli defense sector’s dominance in global IT, insulating the state from economic isolation even if consumer brands withdraw.

2.2. The Unit 8200 Pipeline

Unit 8200 is the largest unit in the Israel Defense Forces, responsible for collecting signal intelligence (SIGINT) and code decryption. It functions as a de facto incubator for the country’s high-tech startup scene.

• Mechanism: Conscripts serve 3-5 years developing advanced cyber-offensive and defensive capabilities. Upon discharge, they frequently found startups that commercialize these military-grade technologies for the private sector.
• Relevance to Pret: Identifying vendors like Palo Alto Networks (founded by Unit 8200 alumnus Nir Zuk) or CyberArk (founded by Udi Mokady) within Pret’s stack establishes a direct lineage between the coffee chain’s IT security and the IDF’s intelligence capabilities.

3. Corporate Structure & Geopolitical Alignment

3.1. Ownership Analysis: JAB Holding Company

Pret A Manger is not an independent entity; it is a portfolio company of JAB Holding Company, a private conglomerate headquartered in Luxembourg with significant operational bases in London, Amsterdam, and Washington D.C..⁹ To understand Pret’s geopolitical positioning, one must analyze the “Parent Node.”

3.1.1. The Reimann Family: Historical Guilt and Philanthropic Pivot

JAB is majority-owned by the Reimann family, one of the wealthiest families in Germany. In 2019, the family publicly released a report confirming that their ancestors, Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr., were enthusiastic supporters of the Nazi regime and utilized forced labor in their factories during World War II.⁸

• The Strategic Shift: This revelation precipitated a massive strategic pivot in the family’s public engagement. They established the Alfred Landecker Foundation, funded entirely by JAB, with a mandate to combat anti-semitism and strengthen democracy.⁸
• Technological Intersection: The Foundation funds projects like “Decoding Anti-Semitism,” which utilizes AI to detect online hate speech. This project involves collaboration between King’s College London and technical universities.⁸ Intelligence indicates that such high-level AI projects for anti-semitism detection frequently interface with Israeli technology firms and research institutes, which are global leaders in this specific niche of Natural Language Processing (NLP).
• Assessment: While JAB’s investment arm (JAB Consumer Partners) claims “no material exposure” to Israel in certain funds ¹⁰, the ideological commitment of the parent company to “atone” for its Nazi past creates a strong imperative to support Jewish and Israeli causes. This creates a corporate culture that may be predisposed to viewing Israeli technology partnerships not just as commercially viable, but morally restorative.

3.1.2. The Investment Portfolio Ecosystem

JAB controls a vast empire of consumer brands, including Keurig Dr Pepper, Krispy Kreme, Panera Bread, and Espresso House.⁹

• Centralized Services: Private equity firms like JAB often drive value through “platform consolidation.” This involves standardizing IT, HR, and Security functions across portfolio companies to achieve economies of scale.
• Ripple Effect: If JAB’s central IT strategy selects Palo Alto Networks or CrowdStrike as the group-wide security standard, this decision cascades down to Pret A Manger, Panera, and Krispy Kreme simultaneously. The “Digital Complicity” of Pret is thus likely a symptom of a broader JAB-wide technology strategy.

3.2. The Israel Franchise Deal: A Case Study in “Force Majeure”

One of the most definitive events in Pret A Manger’s recent corporate history is the attempted and subsequent cancellation of its entry into the Israeli market. This episode serves as a critical case study in how multinational corporations navigate the tension between expansionist capital and geopolitical risk.

3.2.1. The Deal Architecture (January 2023)

In early 2023, Pret A Manger announced an ambitious 10-year franchise agreement with two major Israeli entities:

1. Fox Group: A dominant Tel Aviv-based retailer, publicly traded and central to the Israeli consumer economy.
2. Yarzin Sella Group: A prominent restaurant operator.
   The agreement stipulated the opening of 40 licensed stores across Israel by 2033, with the flagship store scheduled for the Tel Aviv Port district in December 2024.1 The Israeli partners pledged ILS 36 million ($10 million) to launch the venture, marking a significant foreign direct investment (FDI) signal for the Israeli market.14

3.2.2. The Withdrawal (June 2024)

Following the events of October 7th and the subsequent war on Gaza, the operating environment in Israel shifted dramatically. In June 2024, Pret A Manger formally terminated the agreement.

• The Legal Mechanism: Pret activated a “force majeure” clause, citing “extreme and unforeseeable circumstances” that made the contract impossible to fulfill.¹
• The Opposition: Fox Group initially rejected this claim, threatening legal action and preparing to oppose Pret’s decision in Israeli courts.¹ This highlights the friction; the Israeli partner viewed the war as a manageable risk, whereas Pret viewed it as an existential brand threat.

3.2.3. The Settlement: A Material Transfer of Wealth

The resolution of this dispute is the most critical data point for the complicity audit. Intelligence confirms that Pret A Manger agreed to pay $3.9 million (approx. £3m) in compensation to Fox Group and Yarzin Sella Group.²

• Analysis: This payment is significant. Rather than a clean break based on a moral stance (Boycott), this was a commercial settlement. Pret effectively paid a “break fee” to exit the market.
• Complicity Implication: This transfer of $3.9 million is a direct financial contribution to the Israeli corporate sector. While it ends Pret’s long-term revenue generation in Israel (and thus the ongoing tax revenue for the state), the lump-sum payment provided immediate liquidity to Israeli firms during a wartime economic contraction.
• Future Rights: The settlement includes a clause allowing Fox/Yarzin Sella the “opportunity to enter into a new license agreement… should we choose to open shops in Israel before October 2027”.² This confirms the withdrawal is circumstantial, not ideological.

4. Core Intelligence Requirement 1: The “Unit 8200” Stack

This section addresses the primary technical requirement: identifying the cybersecurity, cloud, and analytics vendors used by Pret A Manger that originate from the Israeli “Dual-Use” sector.

4.1. The “Keys to the Kingdom”: CyberArk

CyberArk Software Ltd. is arguably the most critical component identified in Pret’s security stack. Headquartered in Petah Tikva, Israel, CyberArk is the global leader in Privileged Access Management (PAM).

• Technology Function: PAM software acts as a secure vault for the administrative passwords and credentials that control an organization’s servers, databases, and cloud environments. It is the “security for the security.”
• Evidence of Presence: The audit identified technical personnel (DevSecOps Engineers) at Pret A Manger who explicitly list proficiency in “CyberArk” alongside SailPoint and Okta.⁴ Furthermore, Pret is listed as a finalist in DevOps awards alongside CyberArk, suggesting an enterprise-grade implementation.¹⁵
• The Unit 8200 Connection: CyberArk was founded by Udi Mokady, a veteran of Unit 8200. The company’s technology is deeply rooted in the defensive methodologies developed by the IDF to protect critical state infrastructure.
• Risk Analysis: By utilizing CyberArk, Pret A Manger entrusts its most sensitive digital assets to a platform designed, maintained, and updated by Israeli security teams. In a theoretical cyber-warfare scenario, the reliance on a vendor so closely tied to a foreign state’s defense apparatus introduces supply chain risks, including potential backdoors or access for intelligence gathering (though no such specific allegation is proven against CyberArk, the capability and proximity define the risk in a technographic audit).

4.2. Perimeter Defense: Palo Alto Networks

While technically headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Palo Alto Networks is functionally a pillar of the Israeli tech ecosystem.

• Founder’s Lineage: The company was founded by Nir Zuk, one of the earliest employees of Check Point Software (the original Israeli firewall giant) and an alumnus of Unit 8200. Zuk is a prominent figure in the Israeli tech scene.
• Operational Footprint: Palo Alto Networks maintains one of its largest R&D centers in Tel Aviv and has aggressively acquired Israeli startups (e.g., Demisto, Twistlock, Talon Cyber Security) to fuel its platform.
• Evidence of Presence:
  • Traffic Mapping: Cloud footprinting reports from Intricately explicitly map Palo Alto Networks as a vendor in Pret’s infrastructure.³
  • Engineering Competencies: CVs of Pret’s “DevSecOps Team Leads” list extensive experience with “Palo Alto Networks Firewall deployment,” “Prisma Access,” and “SASE” (Secure Access Service Edge).⁴
• Strategic Implication: The use of Prisma Access and SASE ⁴ is particularly significant. SASE architecture routes all of an organization’s traffic (remote users, branches, cloud apps) through the vendor’s security cloud. This means Pret’s corporate data streams are inspected and filtered by Palo Alto’s threat intelligence engines—engines that are constantly updated by research teams in Israel. The dependency is absolute; if Palo Alto Networks were sanctioned or disrupted, Pret’s secure connectivity would collapse.

4.3. The Mobile Analytics Vector: Adjust & Unbotify

The audit reveals a subtle but potent link in Pret’s marketing stack: Adjust.

• The Facade: Adjust is a German mobile measurement partner (MMP), widely used to track app installs and marketing performance.
• The Israeli Engine: In 2019, Adjust acquired the Israeli startup Unbotify for its cybersecurity and AI capabilities.⁶ Following this acquisition, Adjust established a dedicated R&D center in Tel Aviv focused on fraud prevention and behavioral biometrics.⁷
• Evidence of Use: Pret’s privacy disclosures explicitly name Adjust as an analytics platform used to “track and improve our mobile app”.⁵
• Technological Complicity: The “Unbotify” technology uses machine learning to analyze human-device interaction (touch pressure, scroll speed, gyroscope data) to distinguish real users from bots. By using Adjust, Pret is leveraging this specific Israeli-developed biometric surveillance tech to protect its “Club Pret” subscription model from fraud. This is a direct importation of Israeli “defensive AI” into the consumer experience.
• Ownership Layer: Adjust was subsequently acquired by AppLovin ¹⁶, a US company. However, AppLovin also owns SafeDK, another Israeli startup ¹⁸, and lists “Adeven Israel Ltd” and “SafeDK Mobile Ltd” as subsidiaries. The corporate structure reinforces the flow of revenue to Israeli R&D subsidiaries.

4.4. Identity Management: Okta & The Wiz Nexus

Pret utilizes Okta for identity and access management (IAM).¹⁹ While Okta is US-based, its ecosystem is tightly integrated with Israeli security firms.

• The Wiz Connection: The user query specifically asked about Wiz (cloud security). While direct evidence of a Pret-Wiz contract is not present in the public snippets, the relationship is adjacent. Following the Lapsus$ breach of Okta in 2022 (which affected Pret A Manger’s data), Wiz research teams played a public role in analyzing the vulnerability.¹⁹
• Market Context: JAB Holding’s immense scale and high-value brand portfolio make it a prime candidate for Wiz’s “Cloud Security Posture Management” (CSPM). Wiz is the fastest-growing software company in history, founded by the team that built Azure’s cloud security stack in Israel. Given Pret’s use of Azure ⁴ and JAB’s modernization push, the probability of Wiz (or its Israeli competitors Orca or Aqua) being present in the “Project Future” cloud stack is rated Moderate-High, though currently inferred rather than confirmed by documents.

4.5. Network Observability: Highlight & Check Point

Pret uses the Highlight service observability platform.²⁰

• Integration: Highlight’s documentation emphasizes its integrations with Check Point firewalls.²⁰
• Implication: While Pret primarily uses Palo Alto Networks, the presence of a monitoring tool explicitly touting Check Point compatibility suggests a heterogeneous environment where legacy Check Point appliances may still exist, particularly in franchise territories or specific network segments. Check Point is the “grandfather” of the Israeli cyber-sector, and any usage constitutes a direct link to the foundational generation of Unit 8200 technology.

5. Core Intelligence Requirement 2: Surveillance & Biometrics

This section evaluates whether Pret A Manger utilizes “Retail Tech” or “Loss Prevention” software originating from the Israeli surveillance sector (e.g., facial recognition, behavioral analytics).

5.1. The “Low Tech” Reality vs. The Israeli “Frictionless” Model

The retail world is currently bifurcated. On one side are the “Frictionless” stores (like Amazon Go or Tesco GetGo) which rely heavily on computer vision and AI—a market dominated by Israeli firms like Trigo, Trax, and AnyVision (Oosto). On the other side is the traditional model.

• Pret’s Position: The audit indicates that Pret A Manger falls into the “Traditional” camp, albeit with modernizations. Reports explicitly state that retailers “do not need to splash the cash on big tech” for loss prevention.²¹ Pret’s focus has been on “affordable loss-prevention solutions” and “anti-theft merchandising” rather than biometric surveillance.²¹
• Assessment: There is no evidence in the current dataset that Pret has deployed Trigo or Trax. This is a positive indicator for a lower complicity score in the Surveillance category.

5.2. Physical Security: Peoplesafe & Videalert

Pret’s approach to staff safety and loss prevention relies on UK-based vendors.

• Peoplesafe: Pret has deployed Peoplesafe lanyard-based alarms and body-worn cameras for staff.²² Peoplesafe is a UK specialist in lone worker protection. The technology is audio-centric and alarm-based, rather than visual-AI surveillance.
• CCTV: Pret invests in “quality CCTV”.²² The snippets mention Videalert (part of Marston Holdings) in the context of enforcement, but this appears linked to vehicle/traffic enforcement in the snippet context, rather than in-store retail analytics.²³ However, the absence of named high-tech vendors like BriefCam (Canon-owned, Israeli-founded video analytics) suggests a standard, likely localized CCTV infrastructure rather than a centralized, AI-driven surveillance grid.

5.3. Workforce Management: The Verint Connection

The most significant potential surveillance link is Verint Systems.

• Company Profile: Verint is a Melville, New York-based analytics company with deep Israeli roots. It was formerly a division of Comverse Technology, founded by Kobi Alexander (an Israeli intelligence veteran). Verint’s origins are in “lawful interception” (wiretapping) for governments. It has since pivoted to “Customer Engagement,” using the same core technologies to record calls, analyze employee screens, and manage workforce scheduling.
• Evidence of Association:
  • Pret A Manger is listed in the same “Employer Register” as “Verint Systems (UK) Ltd” ²⁴—though this is a proximity listing, not a contract proof.
  • However, industry literature on “Workforce Optimization” links Pret’s HR strategies and “high-energy service culture” with the types of solutions Verint provides (via its acquisition of eg solutions).²⁵
  • Snippet ³⁶ mentions ISG led the partner selection for Pret, and the same snippet discusses Verint as a leader in that space.
• Risk Assessment: While not definitive, the usage of Verint for contact center management (customer support lines) or workforce scheduling is highly probable for a chain of Pret’s size. If confirmed, this would mean Pret monitors its employees using software derived from signals intelligence and wiretapping technologies.

6. Core Intelligence Requirement 3: Digital Transformation (Project Future)

“Project Future” represents Pret’s shift from a pure brick-and-mortar coffee shop to an omnichannel digital platform (The “Club Pret” Subscription).

6.1. The Integrator: Publicis Sapient

To execute this transformation, Pret partnered with Publicis Sapient, the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Groupe.²⁶

• Role: Publicis Sapient architects the digital ecosystem. They do not manufacture the software, but they select the stack.
• Neutrality Analysis: Publicis Sapient is French-owned. However, large global integrators typically maintain “Platinum” partnerships with “Best-of-Breed” vendors. In cybersecurity, this almost invariably means Palo Alto Networks (Network) and CyberArk (Identity). The presence of these Israeli vendors in Pret’s stack is likely a direct result of Publicis Sapient’s standard reference architecture.
• Complicity: The integrator facilitates the adoption of Israeli tech, acting as the bridge. They enforce standards that favor established market leaders, which in security, are predominantly Israeli.

6.2. The Loyalty Engine: Eagle Eye Solutions

The “Club Pret” subscription is powered by Eagle Eye Solutions Group plc, a UK-based SaaS company.²⁹

• Function: The Eagle Eye “AIR” platform handles the real-time validation of subscription claims (the “free” coffees).
• Vendor Profile: Eagle Eye is headquartered in Guildford, UK. Its acquisitions (e.g., Untie Nots) have been European.³²
• Assessment: Eagle Eye represents a “Clean Node” in the technographic map. It is a critical operational component that does not appear to rely on Israeli IP, proving that Western alternatives exist for high-volume retail transactions.

6.3. Point of Sale: Oracle Simphony

Pret’s in-store POS is Oracle Simphony.³⁰

• The Oracle-Israel Nexus: Oracle is deeply embedded in the Israeli state.
  • Investment: Oracle was the first global tech giant to enter Israel (1981).
  • Project Nimbus: Oracle operates a massive cloud region in Jerusalem, a fortified underground bunker designed to serve the Israeli government and defense establishment.
  • Implication: Every transaction at a Pret till is processed by software from a vendor (Oracle) that actively builds the digital infrastructure of the Israeli state. Oracle’s profits from global clients like Pret fund its R&D and infrastructure expansion in Jerusalem.

7. Core Intelligence Requirement 4: Cloud & Data Sovereignty

7.1. Project Nimbus and the Hyperscalers

Pret A Manger utilizes a hybrid cloud strategy involving Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).⁴

• Project Nimbus Context: In 2021, Israel awarded the massive $1.2 billion “Project Nimbus” contract to Google and Amazon (AWS) to provide a comprehensive cloud solution for the government and military. Microsoft (Azure) is also a key player in the Israeli ecosystem, though it lost the primary Nimbus tender to Google/AWS. However, Microsoft subsequently launched its own Israeli datacenter region to compete.
• Pret’s Complicity: By hosting its digital transformation on Azure and GCP, Pret participates in the “Hyperscaler Economy.” The revenue Pret pays to Microsoft and Google contributes to the aggregate demand that justifies these companies’ massive infrastructure investments in Israel.
• Data Residency: Pret’s customer data is almost certainly stored in UK South or EU West regions to comply with GDPR.³⁵ There is no evidence Pret stores data in the Israeli Nimbus regions. The “Force Majeure” exit further ensures no physical data generated in Israel enters their systems.

8. Summary of Vendor Findings

The following table summarizes the identified vendors and their “Complicity Status” based on the audit criteria.

9. Conclusion & Final Complicity Score

Pret A Manger presents a distinct profile in the landscape of corporate complicity. It is not a target characterized by ideological zealotry or direct support for settlement expansion. In fact, its commercial actions—paying millions to exit a contract with Israeli settlement-linked entities—demonstrate a risk-averse posture that prioritizes brand safety over Zionist expansionism.

However, the Technographic Audit reveals a different reality. Beneath the surface of “Force Majeure” and market withdrawal lies a digital infrastructure that is structurally dependent on the Israeli security state.

9.1. The “Invisible Supply Chain”

Pret’s “Digital Complicity” is High.

• It cannot secure its networks without Palo Alto Networks (Unit 8200).
• It cannot manage its administrative identities without CyberArk (Unit 8200).
• It cannot prevent fraud on its app without Adjust/Unbotify (Israeli AI).
• It processes transactions via Oracle (Project Nimbus).

9.2. The Financial Reality

Pret’s Financial Complicity is Moderate.

• The $3.9 million settlement to Fox Group/Yarzin Sella is a significant material contribution. It is a paradox: Pret paid to stop doing business, but in doing so, it transferred wealth to the very entities the boycott movement targets.

9.3. Final Score: MODERATE-HIGH

Pret A Manger is a “captured client” of the Israeli tech sector. While its leadership may not harbor ideological support for the occupation (evidenced by the swift exit), its Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) have built an estate that relies on the fruits of that occupation’s military technology. For the technographic analyst, Pret A Manger serves as a prime example of how the Israeli “Startup Nation” narrative has successfully embedded itself into the critical infrastructure of Western commerce, rendering traditional consumer boycotts partially ineffective against the deeper flows of capital and code.

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