Upper Crust owner SSP warns on profit as Iran war hits tourism

SSP, the owner of travel food outlets like Upper Crust, has warned it will take a hit to its profit after the Iran war caused a “significant contraction” in global tourism. The catering group, which also owns Millie’s Cookies and Caffè Ritazza, said the sharp drop in travel caused by the Middle East conflict has hit sales at its food outlets at train stations and airports. The FTSE 250 group told shareholders it expects full-year profit to be “slightly lower than planned,” at about £230m. Shares in the firm dipped by about five per cent to 176.5p in early trading. Like-for-like sales at the firm rose by four per cent in the three months to the end of September. But SSP’s sales growth in the Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and Middle East region came in at one per cent, which chief executive Patrick Coveney blamed on a slowdown in tourism. “Despite the significant impact of the Middle East conflict on passenger volumes in APAC EEME, the strength and diversification of ou