Sandwich Sandwich recruits Paul Hanna as COO ahead of expansion

Sandwich Sandwich has brought Paul Hanna on board as chief operating officer (COO) as it aims to reach 25 sites across London over the next five years.

Hanna will work closely with the Bristol-based brand’s founder Nick Kleiner and his family to drive the vision and strategy for Sandwich Sandwich’s expansion plans.

The family-owned business, known for its deep-filled sandwiches, will open its second London site on 17 March in the City of London, six months after it debuted in the capital. Last year it also expanded its catering service into London, nine years after it launched a corporate foodservice arm in Bristol.

Sandwich Sandwich already has three Bristol sites, and Hanna will now be tasked with sourcing new locations across the UK, focusing on shopping centres, airports, major travel hubs, business districts as well as high street locations.

He will also help to seek out new franchise partners to take the brand to the international stage.

Hanna has more than a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, most recently as head of operations at B Bagel, overseeing its expansion from three to six sites plus a central production unit. That followed nearly five years as group head of operations and franchise at Comptoir Group, looking after both company owned and franchise operations of 27 restaurants globally.

He said: “Sandwich Sandwich is truly something special – so joining the team at this stage in their journey is a dream come true. The passion and dedication of everyone involved is extraordinary and because of this drive to go above and beyond in everything we do, Sandwich Sandwich will continue to break boundaries and garner attention.

“We have an exciting road ahead but are determined to do things properly, thinking big, but keeping our feet on the ground and never losing sight of the hard work that we have to put in daily in order to get to where we want to be. We’ve got lots of exciting things planned so watch this space!”

Kleiner said: “With his wealth of experience in franchising, operations, and opening new sites, [Hanna is] an invaluable addition to the team at such a pivotal time.”

Hanna’s arrival at Sandwich Sandwich reunites him in a professional capacity with his father, Chaker, who is non-executive chair of the sandwich chain and was recently reappointed as Comptoir Group CEO.

Hanna added: “Working with my dad is no mean feat – he’s a true professional, an inspiration to many and very well-respected in the industry so I’m well aware that the bar is high from the start – but given his experience and track record of success, who wouldn’t want to work with him? He’s always been a role model to me (and many others) and I’m extremely proud to be working with him again.”

Sandwich Sandwich was founded by Kleiner, a self-taught chef, in 2010 on Cotham Road South, Bristol.

In 2020, the business developed its signature loaded sandwiches after Josh Kleiner, Nick’s son and Sandwich Sandwich’s head of operations and marketing, was approached by an influencer asking for a bespoke lunch. The sandwich received 300 likes and quickly went viral on social media.

Sandwich Sandwich won a £100,000 investment after being named Uber Eats’ Restaurant of the Year in 2023.