Southern Wind Group, the team behind South American rodizio brand Fazenda, is rewarding all team members with an ongoing 10% pay bonus, passing on savings from the government VAT reduction to the people pursuing careers in one of the hardest hit industries by COVID-19.
As part of Westminster’s support package for hospitality, VAT rates were cut to 5% on food and non-alcoholic drinks. The shareholders of Southern Wind Group have decided to give savings from this back to all team members, including chefs, front-of-house staff and managers, as a thank you for their commitment, loyalty and hard work in successfully opening the restaurants.
The first payment of the VAT Bonus Scheme went into June’s paycheque and will see the Fazenda teams all receive an extra 10% in their salaries every month until the end of September – a bonus that will also be added for any new starters joining Fazenda as the restaurants reopen fully.
All employees, from managers to service staff, have worked relentlessly to ensure that each Fazenda site reopened following lockdown. The decision to pass these savings on to the team was an easy one, with the chief executive and managing director visiting each restaurant upon reopening to personally thank the teams in place.
Southern Wind Group hopes its decision to boost wages helps their people recover financially from the impact of the pandemic, as Food and Beverage looks to bounce back following an uncertain 12 months. More than ever, career paths in hospitality need to be celebrated and the VAT Bonus Scheme is a way to shine a spotlight on the sector.
Fazenda currently has restaurants in Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham, with further expansion plans lined up for the next 12 months. The restaurant brand employs more than 330 people across its five sites, all of which are eligible for the VAT Bonus Scheme.
Terence Langley, chief executive at Southern Wind Group, said: “The teams we have across the UK are the reason we have been able to build our brand and such a great reputation. From first walking through the doors, to making drinks, cooking the food and serving our guests, our teams are the lifeblood of Fazenda.”
Tomás Maunier, managing director for the group, said: “Whilst the past 12 months have been hard, we now want to look to a positive future. We want to use our VAT Bonus Scheme as a thank you to our team for their dedication, and as an assurance that we are committed to helping them as best we can. Hospitality is integral to our economy and our lifestyles, and we want to make sure people are rewarded, and that it remains an attractive career choice for so many.”
For more information on Southern Wind Group and Fazenda, visit www.southernwindgroup.com and follow Fazenda on Twitter and Instagram.
