As many as 500 Subway sandwich bars could open in convenience stores around the UK over the next decade, the chain's co-founder pledged this week. Fred DeLuca said Subway was planning to open 2,000 shops in this country. "If the development here is anything like in the US then 500 of these will be in c-stores," he said. This idea has already proved to be a big hit with retailers around the world: of the 15,000 Subway units now operating, 2,500 can be found in c-stores. DeLuca admitted the first priority for the UK was to develop critical mass, so Subway became a more recognisable fast food brand. "We are quite small in the UK, with 52 stores, but we are at a point where [retailers] can assess us and within a short space of time we will have more stores and more brand awareness. "From there, you will see Subway opening in convenience stores." DeLuca said he had no deals with c-store operators in the pipeline but revealed that a number of British chains had made informal contact with Subway while on fact finding missions to the US. He predicted Subway would be talking with c-store operators within 12 months. {{NEWS }}