CGA, the global food and drink data and research consultancy, has today announced the acquisition of CPL Training Group, a privately-held, Birkenhead-based training and development company serving the hospitality and consumer retail industries.
The acquisition reunites CPL Training with CPL Online, which became part of CGA in March 2018.
CPL Training Group is one of the largest providers of personal licence training in the UK. The company employs 31 people, trains over 20,000 individuals across the UK hospitality and retail sectors for clients such as Stonegate Pub Company, Mitchells & Butlers, Greene King and retail leader Asda.
“From the moment we bought CPL Online, there was a compelling logic to maximise the opportunity by then acquiring CPL Training. Of course, the time had to be right for both parties. And I am delighted that that time is now,” said Phil Tate, Group CEO of CGA.
“We now map and measure the hospitality and consumer retail market and support clients even better with training and development, licensing, human resources and retention. This acquisition demonstrates CGA’s commitment to driving growth and innovation while supporting one of the most vital parts of the out-of-home industry: its people,” added Tate.
At a time when businesses are under significant economic and competitive pressure, delivering great service and creating a memorable customer experience is key to encouraging repeat visits and increased spend per head. In fact, the 2019 Business Leaders’ Survey from CGA and CPL Online found that 62% of business leaders are planning to increase investment in employee engagement and see it as the number one planned area of investment in 2019. Nearly three in four (71%) cited staff retention as very important to the success of their business in 2019 and more than half (56%) think the same about staff recruitment.
Clients will benefit from a more robust service offering and superior training and licensing, led by a focused leadership team deeply committed to improving the industry. Jon Collins, current Executive Chairman of CPL Online and former Chief Executive of CGA, will oversee the integration of CPL Training into the CGA Group.
This CGA acquisition will also drive higher standards and facilitate more seamless, blended learning to employees to fulfil the development strategies for any organisation. With new offerings such as the revamped Learning Management System (LMS) launched this year, companies are already benefiting from an integrated single access point to CPL’s courses and its built-in engagement, learning and communication tools.
“It’s been over 28 years since I started the business which developed into the CPL Training we see today. It has been fantastic to establish and grow such a successful brand and I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside some brilliant people along the way, many of which are still with the business today,” said Daniel Davies, founder of CPL Training Group and CEO of Rockpoint Leisure. “Following the successful sale of CPL Online to CGA last year, I began to look at the next chapter of my life. Having been Chairman of the Institute of Licensing (IOL) for five years and still having two years remaining, I decided that I wanted to continue my work of bringing about real change in the hospitality sector. This led to me embarking on the major regeneration of my hometown New Brighton. So far, we have successfully opened numerous concepts and retail stores under my new business venture Rockpoint Leisure and the momentum of our ambitious plans is only gathering pace.”
“Therefore, it was the right time to allow someone new to take the helm of CPL Training,” continued Davies. “To build on the legacy we established and continue its successful growth. CGA is the right party to do so and I look forward to seeing both CPL Training and CPL Online reunited. I would like to thank all the great clients, supporters, partners and friends I have worked with over the years. With your support, we have been able to build a great business and change the face of training and development within our sector.”
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About CGA:
CGA is the data and research consultancy of choice for the out-of-home food and drinks market, specialising in market measurement, consumer research and location planning. What sets CGA apart is its ability to access the three key types of data (supply, demand and consumer) and then triangulate this data to provide the most complete and accurate picture of anyone in the out-of-home sector.
From its offices in Manchester, United Kingdom, and Chicago, United States, CGA experts work with many of the world’s biggest consumer brands, including drinks manufacturers, consumer brand owners, food suppliers and wholesalers as well as pub, bar and restaurant retailers and government entities.
Founded in 1992, CGA’s mission is to use its phenomenal data and expert insight of the leisure industry to give these brands the competitive edge, and get them where they want to be, faster. To learn more: www.cga.co.uk
About CPL Training
Based in Merseyside, CPL Training Group is a specialist in the delivery of high-quality training and development for the licensed hospitality and retail industries. From compliance training to personal development, CPL Training Group is a trusted partner to the industry, with over 20,000 delegates per year choosing us to undertake their personal licence course. CPL Training Group also specialise in application services for personal and premises licences.
CPL Training Group’s mission is to unlock potential by providing individuals with the knowledge and skills to grow, develop and achieve.
For all press enquiries:
Nil Khalifa, Marketing Manager, CGA
phone: 0161 476 8361
email: PR@cga.co.uk
