Upper Crust owner SSP Group keeps full-year target; quarterly sales rise on UK growth

July 28 (Reuters) - Upper Crust chain owner SSP Group said it remains on track to meet its full-year target and reported strong third-quarter sales on Tuesday, as robust trading in the UK and Ireland offset a slump in parts of its business caused by the Middle East conflict.

Here are some details: 

• SSP, which operates ​food outlets at airports and train stations worldwide, reported sales growth of 4% year-on-year on a constant-currency basis in the three months ended June 30.

• "This performance reflected sustained quarter-on-quarter trading momentum in three of our four regions but a significant contraction in passenger numbers in our APAC & EEME region due to the conflict in the Middle East," the group said.

• In the Gulf, SSP said the markets traded at about 65% of prior-year levels during the quarter, with lower passenger numbers also hitting key travel hubs across the region.

• Like-for-like sales growth in UK & Ireland stood at 11%, supported by seasonal demand and a stronger customer offering.

• North America sales rose 2% on like-for-like basis, while APAC & EEME (Asia Pacific, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf) sales decreased 2%.

(Reporting by Atharva Singh; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)