EasyGroup

**EasyGroup** (styled as **easyGroup**, incorporated as EasyGroup Ltd), founded in 1998, is the holding company controlling the "easy" family of brands. It is privately owned by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. Through its wholly owned subsidiary EasyGroup IP Licensing Ltd, the company licences the Easy brand to other businesses. From 2012 to 2017, Easygroup also licensed the Fastjet brand to the low-cost African airline.

The company was established to expand the "easy" brand following the successful launch of EasyJet in 1995. The first use of "easy" after EasyJet was to EasyInternetcafé established in June 1999. This was followed in 2000 with the establishment of EasyRentacar, later renamed EasyCar.

The group is registered in the Cayman Islands, but operates from its office in Kensington, London.

## EasyGroup brand values

EasyGroup publishes brand guidelines for all Easy companies to follow, together with the company's brand values:

1. Great value
2. Taking on the big boys
3. For the many not the few
4. Relentless innovation
5. Keep it simple,
6. Entrepreneurial
7. Making a difference in people's lives
8. Honest, open, caring and fun

## Easy family of brands[edit source]

### EasyJet "easyJet.com"

Main article: EasyJet

EasyJet is a low-cost airline which began flying on 10 November 1995. It is one of the two largest budget airlines in Europe, alongside its rival Ryanair. It was the first company owned by EasyGroup to use the "easy" prefix. EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a separate company which licenses the "easyJet" name from easyGroup.

### Fastjet

Main article: Fastjet

Fastjet is a low-cost airline group established in 2012 that operates in Africa, originally following a similar business model to EasyJet. It was the first non-Easy brand-name licensed by EasyGroup. Fastjet plc acquired ownership of their brand in late 2017.

### EasyCar "easyJet.com"

In April 2000 the company set-up the car rental company easyRentaCar (later renamed easyCar), with the only rental car available being the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The new easyCar company now operates as an international car rental broker via the Internet.

easyCar Club was launched by easyCar in February 2014 as a peer-to-peer rental scheme that allows members to rent under-used private cars from one another. On 1 December 2018, EasyCar Club stopped accepting bookings citing a problem reaching an agreement with an insurer. On 18 December 2018, EasyCar Club informed members that it was ceasing operations to join forces with Turo, and offering incentives for EasyCar Club members to join Turo.

### EasyBus "easyBus.com"

Main article: EasyBus

EasyBus began operating on 30 July 2004. The company currently offers a low-cost express minibus service between Central London and three London airports: Gatwick, Stansted and Luton. Also between Manchester and Liverpool Airports to Chester, Wrexham, Oswestry and Shrewsbury (Until 9 September) Journeys can be booked via the EasyBus website, or customers can purchase, usually at higher prices, from the EasyBus airport sales desks, or by paying the driver if joining in London. Online bookings offer guaranteed seats on specific services.

### EasyPizza "easyPizza.com"

Main article: EasyPizza

A delivery-only pizza company launched in 2004. EasyPizza ceased to operate their independent franchised stores in December 2009, and teamed up with Just Eat, who operate as a third party to local pizza takeaway and delivery companies.

### EasyHotel "easyHotel.com"

Main article: EasyHotel
Typical EasyHotel room
EasyHotel is a "no frills super budget" hotel operator which started with one hotel in 2005, and now has 20 hotels in various locations in London (Victoria, Old St, South Kensington, Paddington and Heathrow) as well as Luton, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Basel, Zurich, Budapest, Sofia, Porto, Berlin, Larnaca, Dubai, Edinburgh, Budapest, The Hague and Glasgow. Rooms contain either a double bed or twin single beds, are en-suite and one wall panel is orange in colour with corporate logos on the wall and doors. Toiletries (except soap/shampoo) are not supplied and the use of the TV and the housekeeping facility is additional. Reservations must be made online, with the less expensive stays given the further in advance of booking.

### EasyOffice "easyOffice.com"

EasyOffice was established by EasyGroup in 2007, and runs low-cost serviced office space in Croydon.

### EasyProperty "easyProperty.com"

EasyProperty was launched by EasyGroup in 2014, and offers low cost letting agency services to landlords across England and Wales. Property owners can list their properties for free on easyProperty, and access the major property portals, Rightmove, Zoopla, Primelocation etc. for a small charge. Other services offered include photography, floorplans, EPCs, Property Management, Tenancy Agreements and Deposit Protection.

### EasyGym "easyGym.com"

EasyGym, North End Road, Fulham, London
EasyGroup announced the launch of a chain of no frill gyms called **EasyGym** in May 2011, with the first two branches in Slough and Wood Green.

### EasyFoodstore "easyFoodstore.com"

EasyFoodstore is a new concept of discount supermarket, which has no brands, and only about 100 items such as tinned goods, pasta and rice and cleaning products.

First announced in 2013, opened in London in February 2016, located next to easyBus House (the headquarters of easyBus Ltd). The supermarket charged just 25p for essential food items. Just days after opening its doors it was forced to shut temporarily after running out of stock. The store now sells items at 50p each, with 25p returning during promotional periods only.

### Other businesses

* **Easy.com** – A free e-mail service began in November 2000. This site also acts as the easyGroup main portal.
* **EasyVan** – Like EasyCar, EasyVan.com operates with outside suppliers to provide van rental across the UK. EasyVan provide van hire from more than 120 locations throughout the United Kingdom.
* **EasyCoffee -** Cheap coffee shop branch based in Burnley, London, Blackburn, Hastings and Edinburgh.

### EasyInternetcafé "easyInternetcafé.com"

Main article: EasyInternetcafé

Launched in 1999 as easyEverything, the EasyInternetcafé chain was launched in 1998 to offer access to the internet on the high street. The flagship branch in London's Oxford Street was closed in 2004, and the chain closed in 2009. The business lost GB£96 million in its first five years of operation.

### EasyValue "easyValue.com"

EasyValue was an internet shopping comparison site that began trading in November 2000. In 2002 EasyValue was challenged by Ryanair for displaying its flights without their permission.

### EasyMoney "easyMoney.com"

On 21 August 2001 the credit card company EasyMoney was set up with Accucard (now part of Lloyds Bank), which was expanded on 14 February 2005 with the announcement that unbundled car insurance products provided by Zurich would be sold later in the year at EasyMoney insurance. In April 2006, EasyGroup linked with Moneysupermarket.com to provide a financial product comparison website. This coincided with the withdrawal of the EasyMoney credit card.

In February 2018, easyMoney relaunched under new ownership as a peer-to-peer lending company providing savers with an option to earn higher interest than the high street banks by lending their money to property professionals. This followed the UK government's move in April 2016 to allow peer-to-peer lending products to be held in a new tax-free Individual Savings Account (ISA) wrapper called an "Innovative Finance ISA".

### EasyCinema "easyCinema.com"

On 23 May 2003 the cinema company, EasyCinema at The Point, Milton Keynes was opened at a former UCI site, offering screenings from 20p if booked well in advance. The cinema initially struggled as major distributors were not prepared to release new films to the company using the yield-management model. First run films later became available, but at fixed prices. The cinema also relented on not serving popcorn and drinks, which previously went unsold to save on staffing costs.

Towards the end of its life, the cinema site also housed an EasyInternetcafé and was a pick-up point for EasyPizza. However, following a dispute over unpaid rent with the landlord, Odeon, which resulted in eviction, the EasyCinema closed in May 2006 and reopened as an Odeon cinema. The closure of the Milton Keynes EasyCinema appears to have curtailed the desired expansion into London's West End.

In March 2005 saw the commencement of EasyCinema Online DVD Rental (stylised as easyCinema), first announced in November 2004. This is a partnership with LOVEFiLM, the company operating rental services for several other retail brands. However, unlike many online DVD rental services, there is no monthly subscription but the user purchases rental credits. On 1 August 2012 the easyCinema website and branding ceased and became wholly branded as LOVEFiLM.

### Easy4Men "easy4Men.com"

On 9 December 2004 the men's toiletries range Easy4Men was launched together with Boots. Originally conceived to challenge Gillette, the product line did not include a razor. After disappointing sales, the partnership with Boots was dissolved in 2006. As of 2011, it is no longer in operation.

### EasyMusic "easyMusic.com"

EasyMusic began operation on 22 December 2004 in conjunction with Wippit. It sold copyrighted music downloads offered from 25p, although the minimum transaction value is £1 and there are charges for using credit cards and SMS payment methods. The service stopped selling downloads in January 2008, but began to sells CDs in conjunction with CDwow.

### EasyEnergy "easyEnergy.com"

EasyEnergy was founded in 2016 by Dutch entrepreneurs Maarten Roelfs and Raymond van Eck and market launched on 28 March 2017. EasyEnergy was acquired by the current owner NieuweStroom on 29 June 2018. EasyEnergy will provide domestic customers access to wholesale energy prices, for a fixed monthly fee. EasyEnergy is only active in the Netherlands.

### EasyCruise "easyCruise.com"

A no frills cruise ship called EasyCruise was launched on Friday 6 May 2005, targeting the 18-40 age-group, rather than the traditional retired market. The first vessel was known as *EasyCruiseOne*. Expansion of the EasyCruise fleet was announced in 2006. A franchise operation using a converted river freighter *EasyCruiseTwo* operated from 2006 until 17 August 2007. EasyCruise was sold to Hellenic Seaways in August 2009 for £9 million.

### EasyMobile "easyMobile.com"

EasyMobile was a mobile virtual network operator, launched in March 2005 (not to be confused with EasyMobile, which was founded in 2003 by Karl Kahn) as a pay as you go service in partnership with TDC. The service closed on 13 December 2006. Rival mobile service, Orange, attempted to sue EasyGroup as it claimed the use of the orange EasyMobile logo breached its trademark and could confuse customers. The EasyMobile service was also launched in the Netherlands, but this service closed at short notice at the end of July 2006.

### EasyCoach "easyCoach.com"

EasyCoach is a local bus company started in January 2017 by Andrew Martin and was based in Shrewsbury. The company ran the 436 in Shrewsbury but was re-tendered due to 'high number of passenger complaints relating to the performance of this service' On 27 June 2018, EasyCoach started routes 2 (Wrexham - Oswestry) and 2D (Wrexham - Cefn Mawr) against Arriva Midlands as well as routes 42 (Wrexham Bus Station - Wrexham Industrial Estate) and 44 (Wrexham Bus Station - Snowdon Drive Circular). These services were hit with many delays and breakdowns. The Wrexham services will be withdrawn from 9 September with Mr Martin blaming 'certain individuals had been out to sabotage the business'.

### EasyDogwalker "easyDogwalker.com"

Established in 2018, EasyDogwalker provide dog walking and pet sitting services, backed by the EasyGroup.