Bakery Market Report 2026
Top 75 businesses
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1 - 10
1 (2)
Greggs
Stores: 2,739
Change: +121
Employees: 33,000+
Despite having opened a net total of 121 new shops in 2025 (the largest increase of any firm on this list) and ousting Costa from the number one position, Greggs fell behind its target for openings last year. The food-to-go giant had originally aimed to increase its estate by around 140 to 150 sites, but in autumn said it had fallen behind due to the “timings of opportunities”.
The estate expansion comprised 207 new shops with 50 relocations and 36 closures as it constantly evaluates its portfolio. Greggs is entering 2026 with a “strong pipeline of opportunities” as it looks to extend its reach in under-penetrated catchments as well as relocating constrained existing shops to better sites, facilitating further growth in traditional trading areas.
Among the openings were a handful of Bitesize stores – a smaller, more agile format which enable Greggs to enter prime locations, mostly travel hubs, previously out of reach due to size constraints.
Estate growth is being underpinned by investments in its supply chain capacity including a new logistics and manufacturing facility in Derby and a chilled and ambient National Distribution Centre in Kettering, which remains on track to open in 2027.
Greggs was among the firms to suffer from the challenging trading environment in 2025 as consumer confidence dipped and inflation saw operating costs rise. Its preliminary results for the 52 weeks ended 27 December 2025 revealed underlying pre-tax profit had fallen by 9.4% to £171.9m, compared to £189.8m in 2024. The underlying profit margin also decreased from 9.7% to 8.7%, as Greggs contended with rising costs of labour, food, and packaging.
However, CEO Roisin Currie said she that “against this backdrop, I’m pleased that Greggs outperformed the wider market and increased its market share of visits”.
2 (1)
Costa
Stores: 2,627
Change: -44
Employees: 19,802
Having held pole position in the Bakery Market Report since 2018 when it overtook Subway, Costa has been knocked off the top spot by Greggs. There was only 50 or so stores difference between them last year, but a dip in the coffee giant’s estate coupled with continued expansion from the food-to-go behemoth has seen Costa fall into second place. Although the second highest drop in stores across the 2026 report, the closure of 44 sites only represents 1.6% of Costa’s estate.
Despite the decline, Costa has continued to open stores in new locations with a focus on drive-thrus and travel sites in airports, with a takeaway only site in Stansted Airport among the new additions. In March 2026, it celebrated the opening of its 400th drive-thru with one in Norwich. Elsewhere, it committed significant capital including £3.5m to open up to 10 new stores in Scotland and £1.5m to open four new stores in Wales. Several existing stores were also given a fresh new look.
Costa is also continuing its expansion via supermarkets as it looks to open 30 more sites in Sainsbury’s by the summer (it had 39 locations there as of early 2026). It already has more than 1,300 Costa Express machines across the supermarket’s portfolio.
When it comes to NPD, Costa continued to refresh its menu at the expected seasonal occasions with highlights including a Chocolate & Pistachio Cookie Sandwich for spring, a Chicken Shawarma Flatbread and Tandoori Bhaji Flatbread for summer, and Salami, Mozzarella & Hot Honey Panini and Maple Hazelnut Cookie Sandwich for autumn. The cookie sandwich remained on the NPD rotation into 2026 with an on-trend Strawberry & Matcha variant added.
3 (3)
Subway
Stores: 2,081
Change: -51
Employees: N/A
Subway is in the unenviable position of having the largest drop in site numbers of all the businesses listed in the Bakery Market Report, however the loss of 51 stores only represents 2.4% of its estate. This is a notable slowdown on the year prior which saw it shutter 159 UK stores (7% of its estate).
The sandwich specialist aimed to inject a new lease of life in 2025 with the global roll out of the Fresh Forward 2.0 store design to help enhance guest experience, improve convenience, and drive franchisee profitability. It builds on the original Fresh Forward remodelling which launched in 2017.
In a move away from its core, the business kicked off a ‘Spudway’ trial in over 170 stores which saw it add jacket potatoes to its menu. Although the classic spud toppings such as Cheese & Heinz Beans and Tuna Mayonnaise were available, consumers could turn any sub into a spud topping. The move ‘exceeded expectations’ with Spudway rolling out nationwide in early September.
Other NPD included the festive Turkey & Stuffing Footlong Dipper and limited-edition Double Chocolate Orange Cookie, as well as Mexican-inspired Taco Beef and Footlong Nachos in January 2025. NPD has remained on the agenda for 2026, with a Breaded Chicken Sub, Smashed Falafel Sub, and Shawarma Spiced Chicken Sub.
It comes at a time when more challenger brands are moving into the sandwich space, particularly as consumers seek out bigger fillings and bolder flavours. Newer players include Sandwich Sandwich, Which Wich, and Jersey Mike’s Subs, the latter of which is targeting 400 sites in the UK and Ireland.
4 (4)
Starbucks
Stores: 1,290
Change: +18
Employees: N/A
Estate growth in the UK slowed to a relative crawl in 2025 at coffee powerhouse Starbucks, having smashed its target for 100 new stores the previous year. This time around it only had a net gain of 18, although this could’ve been worse as the company’s ‘Back to Starbucks’ strategy involves closing more than 600 underperforming sites worldwide, including around 80 British locations.
The turnaround plan initiated by CEO Brian Niccol appears to have worked. Starbucks returned to global sales growth last October after seven successive quarters of like-for-like declines. Its UK arm recently introduced a new licensee model designed to support long-term growth by opening “the right stores, in the right places”, with drive‑thru, retail park, and commuter-route formats prioritised. It also revealed plans to open more than 75 new shops in the UK during the present financial year.
Cold drink sales have risen 11.8% year-on-year at Starbucks UK, driven in no small part by consumers’ thirst for its new matcha range. The coffee chain has continued to diversify its food offering as well – autumn bakery innovations included quiches and pastry lattices, while the Pistachio Scroll and Raspberry Jam & Custard Doughnut were among new sweet treats rolled out in recent months.
5 (5)
The Nero Group
Stores: 807
Change: +4
Employees: 6,600
All six brands and 11 markets within The Nero Group achieved positive like-for-like (LFL) sales growth in the financial year ending 31 May 2025. Group LFL sales increased by 6.6% compared with +8.3% in FY24.
The main challenge during the year continued to be managing cost pressures. Top of these was government-mandated wage growth in excess of inflation in all territories, exacerbated in the UK by “adverse changes to employer taxes”, states the directors’ strategic report. High interest rates also required more cash to be used in debt service than usual, restricting the number of new store openings.
Changes to the group’s UK portfolio included the rebranding of one Harris + Hoole site to Caffè Nero. Coffee #1, which operates solely in the UK, mainly in Wales and the South West of England, expanded into the West Midlands. The brand opened eight new stores during FY25, after which The Nero Group’s UK estate comprised Caffè Nero (631), Harris + Hoole (15), Coffee #1 (127), 200 Degrees (22), FCB (11), Aroma (1).
Caffè Nero continued to expand its brand partnership programme within the UK, including a collaboration with The John Lewis partnership to open Best of Both Cafes in selected Waitrose stores and its first concession in a John Lewis store.
6(6)
Pret a Manger
Stores: 500
Change: +10
Employees: 6,667*
Pret A Manger has launched a new shop format featuring a more spacious, family-friendly environment, with made-to-order food and drink service. Trials of this format began in June at Broughty Ferry, near Dundee, and Maidenhead, Berkshire, in line with Pret’s strategy to expand outside London and adapt the brand to suit different working patterns and lifestyles.
Much of the menu in these new shops is made to order at a longer counter and includes more hot items, such as Meatball & Red Pepper Tapenade Ciabatta Sub and Caprese Melt Sourdough Toastie. New breakfast options include Cinnamon Butter & Banana Sourdough Toast.
Meanwhile, Pret has opened its first two shops in partnership with motorway services operator Roadchef, which has 31 locations across the UK. The sites, at Strensham Services on either side of the M5 in Worcestershire, opened in November and December and reflect the company’s strategy to drive sustainable growth by expanding into travel hub locations. The chain is looking to move into drive-thrus in early 2026. Pret CEO Pano Christou said its inaugural drive-thru would most likely be operated by a franchise partner at a motorway service area.
Pret has revealed that it will remove its Express self-service coffee machines from the UK.
*Previous year’s employee total (as of 1 January 2025)
7 (7)
SSP
Stores: 475
Change: +5
Employees: 8,600
Widespread presence at travel locations across the UK and Ireland, saw SSP reporting strong first half revenue in 2025 (life-for-like +7.7%), driven by growth in the air passenger sector and fewer rail strikes than the previous year.
As the operator of 50 M&S stores, SSP credited some of its success in the first half to M&S Simply Food, the retailer’s smaller format sites. However, the cyberattack on M&S in Q3 disrupted SSP’s second half result, which put like-for-like growth at 6%.
The group’s portfolio balances SSP-owned propositions with brand partnerships, including a new collaboration in the UK with Popeyes, an American fried chicken fast food brand. Other brands include Café Local, whose roll-out across rail locations started in 2023.
Last year, SSP collaborated with global partner Burger King to implement AI-powered smart recommendation digital ordering. The group also worked closely with Starbucks and its 18 EMEA markets operating Starbucks stores to develop a joint business plan aimed at optimising its travel-specific offer.
UK & Ireland CEO Kari Daniels said: “We’ve also seen significant improvements in our customer satisfaction scores. The UK market has recorded the strongest uplift in Reputation scores at a global level, now at 4.6 out of 5 from around 120,000 reviews this year.”
8 (8)
BP - Wild Bean Cafe
Stores: 310
Change: 0
Employees: 6,000*
Oil giant BP has been looking to challenge long-held assumptions that forecourt coffee and food is low quality. In fact, it made its biggest UK marketing investment in its Wild Bean Cafe brand near the end of last year with a campaign aiming to reframe it as “one of life’s pleasant surprises”. Wild Bean Cafes maintain a presence at 310 company-owned petrol stations, and also have branded micro self-service units inside 61 dealer sites nationwide.
BP reported a record-breaking week of sales at Wild Bean Cafes during May 2025, following the introduction of a refreshed heat-to-eat breakfast and lunch range, including options of a Big Eat Breakfast Baguette, a BBQ Southern Fried Chicken Wrap, a Sausage Bap, and a Chicken & Chorizo Ciabatta. It also unveiled new pastries such as an Almond Croissant, a Maple Pecan Plait, and a Raspberry Custard Crown, plus sweet treats like a Lemon Fondant Fancy and a Cherry Bakewell Muffin. “This new range is a true reflection of what Wild Bean Cafe stands for: great taste, quality ingredients and a fresh, forward-thinking approach to food on the go,” commented Hannah Munns, UK convenience trading director at BP.
Earlier this year, BP launched its first site featuring an in-store bakery, with a Wild Bean Cafe branded bay as one of three in the fixture, containing croissants, muffins, and cookies.
*Previous year’s employee total (as of 1 January 2025)
9 (9)
Cake Box
Stores: 265
Change: +26
Employees: 180*
New store openings and the acquisition of Ambala Foods helped sales and profits at Cake Box rocket by more than 50% during the 26 weeks to 28 September 2025. The egg-free fresh cream celebration cake specialist lauded a positive year of trading and noted it had reached more customers across the UK thanks to its expanding franchise network – currently managed by a total of 110 different franchisees – as well as growth of its digital ordering channels.
To cope with rising costs in ingredients, energy and labour, Cake Box worked closely with its supplies and supported franchise partners with tools and systems to better manage costs whilst maintaining product quality. The company has 180 employees working out of its head office in Enfield.
The firm has a keen focus on innovation, regular rolling out new cake collections including the star performer of 2025 – the Dubai Style Chocolate range. Another popular addition to menus was the five-strong fusion range that reimagined mithai (South Asian sweets) as cakes, created in collaboration with Ambala Foods and launched in October.
It plans to continue opening new stores in 2026, along with introducing new products and seasonal ranges, and exploring new partnerships to strengthen its brand presence.
*Head office staff only
10 (11)
Gail's
Stores: 188
Change: +33
Employees: 2,894*
Gail’s has leapfrogged Cooplands and entered the top 10 thanks to its biggest ever estate growth spurt in 2025, with a record 33 new stores opened off the back of four straight years of double-digit shop increases. Armed with an ambition of reaching 300 sites across the UK, the premium bakery chain continued its expansion drive targeting high-traffic areas in regional cities, affluent suburban commuter belts, and market towns nationwide. Towards the end of last year, its focus turned back to its southeast heartland with estate additions in Crystal Palace, Windsor Castle, Surbiton, Kings Cross, and Beckenham.
Two further sites in the capital have been introduced so far in 2026, in Tooting Broadway and Westfield Stratford, the latter marking the brand’s first step into a shopping centre format. However, Gail’s is now set for a Yorkshire debut, lining up an opening in Harrogate – it is also relocating the Manchester manufacturing operations of its sister company The Bread Factory to a larger site this year.
Morning goods and sandwiches continue to perform well for the chain, with top selling menu items from last year being the Ham & Cheese Croissant, the Parmesan Chicken on a Cream Bun, and the newly introduced Smoked Chicken Caesar Club. From an innovation lens, a highlight was the new Filled Bun, an olive oil brioche filled with dark chocolate and almond custard, decorated with a chocolate glaze and toasted almond sticks.
Gail’s NPD team embraces circularity of ingredients in new recipes, such as beer made from bread, flour made from spent beer grains, and miso made from waste bread. And they are looking to include more diverse flours in their breads to enhance nutrition and flavour. “Overall, we want more grains, more legumes, more beans,” said a spokesperson.
*Previous year’s employee total (as of 1 January 2025)
11 - 30
11 (10)
Cooplands
Stores: 156
Change: -3
Employees: 1,470
Cooplands returned to Yorkshire hands in October after a new management team acquired it from Blackburn-headquartered EG Group.
The management buy-in was led by former chairman David Salkeld, who reprised the role he served from 2018 to 2021, with support from fourth-generation family member Paul Coopland, who also returned to the board as a non-executive director, while John Ruddock continues as CEO.
The move signals a brighter future for the business which had suffered an £18m loss in 2023, closed its Hull bakery, and shuttered 30 shops under EG’s regime. The forecourt operator had ambitious plans to see Cooplands open 30 new sites a year, but its estate actually shrank during its ownership.
Cooplands operates 156 shops spread along the northeast coast, serving up a wide range of pies, pasties, hand-finished sweet treats, and sandwiches. These span small village bakery stores to grab-and-go sites, as well as larger café operations on retail parks, all of which are serviced by two production facilities in Scarborough and Durham.
NPD has remained top of the agenda with 36 new products rolled out and recipes tweaks for many more in 2024/25, with a nostalgia-inducing Cornflake Tart on a jam or golden syrup base, and seasonal ‘Cookie Monster’ cookies, and Irish cream choux bun among popular items.
12 (12)
Krispy Kreme
Stores: 141*
Change: -2
Employees: 1,773
It’s hard to get a clear picture of Krispy Kreme’s estate as the doughnut specialist isn’t forthcoming with the latest figures. What is known is that the locations of its stores and stockists are under review as part of a turnaround plan after the UK business slumped to £6.2m loss in the 52-week period to 29 December 2024. It ended a three-year run of profitability for the firm, with the cost-of-living crisis, higher input costs, and investments in its retail estate attributed to the loss. That hasn’t stopped the firm rolling out NPD though, with a collaboration with KitKat and matcha brand Perfect Ted among recent launches.
*Data from 29 December 2024
13 (15)
Black Sheep Coffee
Stores: 115
Change: +14
Employees: 442*
Robusta coffee specialist Black Sheep continued to pour new UK locations into its estate last year, with expansion set to flow considerably faster in 2026. Chief growth officer Isobel Childs told attendees of MCA’s Food to Go Conference last month that the coffee chain has “effectively allocated out” franchise agreements across every county, supporting a target of 300 UK sites by the end of 2028. Childs revealed plans to open 50 new sites this year, focussed on units in high-footfall, prominent city centre locations. These included in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Nottingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Exeter, with a drive-thru also on the agenda.
*Previous year’s employee total (as of 1 January 2025)
14 (14)
Wenzel’s the Bakers
Stores: 110
Change: +1
Employees: 1,000+
Things are looking up for Wenzel’s despite a loss-making FY25, when it was also hit by a winding-up petition by HMRC relating to owed taxes (subsequently withdrawn). The family-run bakery chain closed some underperforming stores last year but still managed to increase its southeast-focussed estate. This included entering a first-ever franchise deal with Southern Co-op, which began with a new shop opening in Guildford in September. More franchises are set to follow in 2026, including in new regions, supported by ongoing investment in its central bakery in Northwood near Watford. Wenzel’s also recently rolled out a new pilot scheme to tackle shoplifting and improve staff safety.
15 (17)
FoodCo UK
Stores: 98
Change: +8
Employees: 1,470
Franchise operator FoodCo UK continued expanding the estates of both of its Australian coffee shop brands in 2025. Two new Muffin Break sites were added, bringing its total up to 72, which includes a branded ‘horsebox’ unit at University Hospital Lewisham. Meanwhile, Jamaica Blue grew by six shops to reach 26 locations nationwide, among them a concession in a Next store in Birmingham. While a further three Muffin Break shops have been opened in recent months, FoodCo revealed it had received more interest from landlords and franchisee groups for its Jamaica Blue concept with sites in Sutton, Peterborough, Bexleyheath, and Bristol set to launch during the second quarter.
16 (16)
Creams Cafe
Stores: 97
Change: 0
Employees: 600*
The year ended 31 March 2025 marked the successful completion of dessert specialist Creams Cafe’s transformational period, according to the latest accounts on Companies House. The project was designed to reposition Creams as a franchise-led, manufacturing driven and scalable operating model underpinned by a capital-light, vertically integrated platform. It included the rationalisation of company-owned stores and targeted investment in manufacturing. This had an impact on revenue which was down from £10.7m for the year ending 31 March 2024 to £7.8m, although the firm’s profitability improved with a gross margin of £5.6m, increasing from 60.7% to 72.1%.
*Previous year’s employee total (as of 1 January 2025)
17 (25)
Cooks Coffee Company
Stores: 95
Change: +28
Employees: N/A
Cooks made further progress towards its ambitious target of more than 300 stores in the UK and Ireland by 2034. The group increased its estate in this territory from 67 to 95, mainly as a result of contracts that require regional franchisees of its Esquires Coffee brand to open a set number of stores each year. Additionally, Cooks and its key regional development partner in the UK formed a joint venture to acquire Black Goo. The brand has two eclectically-styled sites – at Thame in Oxfordshire and Tring in Hertfordshire – offering freshly prepared food and handmade cakes. Black Goo tends to serve younger consumers than Esquires.
18 (13)
Sayers and Poundbakery
Stores: 93
Change: -27
Employees: N/A
Struggles at the sister bakery chains, which have sites across the Northwest, north Wales, Yorkshire, and the Midlands, have become strikingly apparent over the past year with almost a quarter of their combined estate closing. The parent company remained tight lipped, though, other than confirming it currently has 62 Poundbakery sites and 31 Sayers the Bakers stores in operation. Sayers has a historical presence in Liverpool but the main bakery, distribution centre, and headquarters are now based in Bolton. These also supply Poundbakery with its value-driven offering such as a recent deal of seven pies or pasties for £10.
19 (24)
Hotel Chocolat
Stores: 91
Change: +23
Employees: 2,518
Having opened its first café-led store in 2024 at Ilkley, West Yorkshire, Hotel Chocolat’s focus last year was on rolling out its café format within its existing and new store estate. Of its current 167 retail locations, 91 are cafés. Here, a wide range of indulgent hot and cold drinking chocolates are served, including Black Forest Gateau Hot Chocolate and chilli chocolate milkshakes. A raft of complementary baked goods are served alongside these, including a Mixed Berry Cake with cream cheese frosting, Rabot Estate Banana Bread, Triple Chocolate Crownie (a brownie/cookie hybrid filled with milk, white, and dark chocolate), and brownies made with 70% house grade dark chocolate.
20 (22)
Joe & The Juice UK
Stores: 90
Change: +17
Employees: 1,100+
Danish brand Joe & The Juice continued its expansion at pace in 2025, adding 17 new sites to its estate with Cambridge, Bath, and Windsor among them. UK MD Jon James says every new store has “outperformed expectations” giving the brand “huge confidence” as it accelerates its openings into new regions. Four of the new stores were opened in November and December 2025, marking the beginning of a larger scale roll-out planned for 2026 as it looks to grow a national customer base. This expansion is being driven by rapidly increasing demand for its freshly prepared juices, shakes, coffee, and signature sandwiches made with fibre-rich rye flatbread, the firm said.
21 (18)
Kaspa’s Desserts
Stores: 78
Change: -4
Employees: 1,200
The dessert parlour franchise, which was founded in Croydon in 2012 by Azhar Rehman, continues with its mission to “make all your sweet dreams come true”. Catching the eyes of passers-by with an electric purple and black colour scheme, Kaspa’s indulgent menu features the likes of crêpes, waffles, warm cookie dough, and gelato made in house. Three formats are offered to franchisees: Kaspa’s Classic (dine-in parlours), Kaspa’s Kiosk (smaller outlets), and a dark kitchen (servicing online delivery platforms). Having previously proclaimed strong nationwide growth ambitions, the company’s estate underwent a slight crunch in 2025 with four sites closing.
22 (20)
Café W
Stores: 74
Change: -1
Employees: N/A
The “enduring popularity of reading and physical bookshops” is credited for year-on-year sales growth by Waterstones. The group, which sells coffee and food from cafés and restaurants within some of its shops under the Café W brand, reports strong performance across geographical areas, product categories and sales channels for the 53 weeks to 3 May 2025. At that date, the group’s portfolio of bookshops across the UK, Republic of Ireland, Jersey, Isle of Man, the Netherlands and Belgium stood at 316. Baked goods on the menu at Café W include hog roast sausage rolls, carrot cake cookies, and rhubarb and raspberry cake.
23 (26)
Cornish Bakery
Stores: 73
Change: +7
Employees: 850
The Falmouth-headquartered independent bakery business recorded a giant leap in sales and profits for 2025, capped off by a record-breaking week during Christmas. Cornish Bakery noted that its growth continued to defy wider trends across the high street and hospitality sector, crediting a strong culture of putting its people at the heart of the experience instead of replacing them with automation. Its solid 2026 pipeline of new shops includes its brand-new ‘Rise by Cornish Bakery’ concept said to ‘thin the boundaries’ between traditional bakeries and casual dining spaces. One of its most successful launches from last year was the Raspberry Crème Brûlée, while upcoming NPD includes Hot Honey & Cornish Cheddar Pastry.
24 (23)
Bayne’s the Family Bakers
Stores: 71
Change: +2
Employees: 960
Scottish chain Bayne’s the Family Bakers celebrated 70 years in business by opening its 70th store in 2025 with a site at Perth’s Inveralmond Retail Park. It opened one more in Anniesland, Glasgow at the end of the year as well. The business has evolved from a traditional home bakery into a leading player in the food to go market having embraced convenience focused offerings, premium coffee, and home delivery services. It cemented this further by unveiling a new mobile app in September and strode confidently into 2026 with plans for an £11m bakery expansion in Lochore.
25 (19)
Tim Hortons
Stores: 69
Change: -8
Employees: N/A
Deepinder Batth, CEO of Tim Hortons UK&I, believes there is a gap in the market at the “intersection of QSRs and coffee shops” which the business is perfectly positioned to fill. Despite a slight downsizing, the Canadian chain performed well in 2025, reporting 8.9% like-for-like growth with revenue reaching £105m. Although this was seen across all channels – in-store counters, kiosks, drive-thru, and delivery – in-store contributed the most revenue gains. And although still reporting an underlying EBIDTA loss, it improved from a loss of £7.3m in FY24 to £3.3m in FY25.
26 (New)
Heavenly Desserts
Stores: 63
Change: N/A
Employees: N/A
Having originated in Birmingham’s Balti Triangle in 2008, Heavenly Desserts grew into its current franchise model in 2012. The business hit its target of 10 new dessert parlours in the UK last year, one more than the previous year, as well as opening a fifth site in Canada and debuting in Pakistan and Germany as well. The company’s website notes it has invested in infrastructure with a capability to build a 200-outlet franchise system, although UK expansion is anticipated to be slower this year as it focusses on ensuring quality locations over quantity. It also recently diversified beyond foodservice with a new retail range of take-home Milk Cake Trays.
27 (27)
Birds Bakery
Stores: 62
Change: +1
Employees: 779
A “resilient and well-balanced performance” was how managing director Jamie Bird summed up 2025 with seasonality described as a “major driver of our commercial success”.
The Raspberry & Pistachio Danish was the bestselling new product in 2025 which Bird says represents the “dual focus on flavour creativity and modernising our pastry lines”. However, the overall bestseller remains Birds' iconic Sausage Cob.
Looking to the year ahead, the MD says there will be a continued “major focus” of investment in the retail estate, ensuring more of its sites reflect the “modern, cohesive identity introduced in April 2024”. “Alongside this, we will be expanding into new areas across the East Midlands, welcoming additional stores and strengthening our regional presence,” he adds.
28 (20)
Causeway Capital
Stores: 60
Change: -15
Employees: 216*
Private equity firm Causeway Capital has slipped down eight places after shuttering 20% of its estate. This leaves Bakers + Baristas with 54 sites and Patisserie Valerie with six, although the branded luxury baked goods from the latter are available in Sainsbury's via a wholesale partnership. Both brands are managed by the Flour Power Group. Seasonal NPD has remained a big talking point for Patisserie Valerie, with a reimagined Luxury Black Forest Gateau with Kirsch – Centenary Edition unveiled in December. Fresh bakery and coffee operator Bakers + Baristas, meanwhile, unveiled a new look in November, with simple signage of two lowercase ‘b’s in pink.
*Flour Power Group employees
29 (28)
Little Dessert Shop
Stores: 57*
Change: 8
Employees: 500*
Another growing premium dessert chain hailing from the West Midlands is Little Dessert Shop, which opened its first store in Wolverhampton in 2015. Operating a few company-owned locations, the largely franchise-driven business added eight sites last year. Its estate – stretching from Glasgow to the Isle of Wight with three locations in Wales – comprises formats ranging from ‘Petite’ grab-and-go outlets to cafés and restaurants. Menus are flush with the likes of French toast, waffles, brownie pots, croissant cubes, doughnut puddings, and cookie dough. In November, it made a play for a bigger slice of the delivery market four new dark kitchens.
*Previous year’s employee total (as of 1 January 2025)
31 - 50
=32 (32)
Warrens Bakery
Stores: 47
Change: +5
Employees: 253
Warrens doesn’t mind the gap in the market between Greggs and Gail’s. In fact, it’s got a one-track mind to continue expanding within the space, delivering value-led but elevated bakery and café experiences at high-traffic locations, particularly travel hubs.
Last year, it built on the success of its railway station shops in Slough, Basingstoke, Cardiff, and Bath by opening a flagship store at the UK’s busiest train station: Liverpool Street. It also unveiled a new petrol forecourt outlet in Frenchay, near Bristol – its sixth in partnership with SGN Retail – joining its 21 other concessions at destination, hospital, and travel sites across the nation.
Warrens describes itself as the oldest Cornish pasty maker in the world, having been established in 1860 in the Cornish town of St Just. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, its bestselling item of last year was its traditional Medium Steak Pasty, with Large Sausage Rolls and Rolo Caramel Brownies also being customer favourites. Top innovations included Cookies Pies, in flavours of Biscoff and Oreo, and the Hog Roast Pasty, while it also upgraded its coffee offering with a blend from Cardiff-based Bridge Coffee Roasters.
=32 (34)
Freshly Baked (Auntie Anne’s)
Stores: 47
Change: +6
Employees: 350-400
Freshly Baked, Auntie Anne’s UK master franchisee, said its hand-rolled soft pretzel proposition aligns closely with a consumer shift away from overly processed options and towards freshly-made treats. Sales rose by 14% to £15.2m last year, with estate expansion accelerating – 10 more sites are planned for 2026. Biscoff Nuggets was the standout NPD and Cinnamon Stix the bestseller in 2025.
34 (32)
Simmons
Stores: 44
Change: +2
Employees: 712
There were changes behind the scenes at family-run business Simmons, a subsidiary of Hatfield Trading, which was controlled by Ian Matthews and Penelope Matthews, directors of both companies, and a close family member. In March 2025, Ludwick Group acquired Hatfield Trading and is now the ultimate parent company, under the control of the trustees of various Matthews family settlements.
35 (35)
Waterfields
Stores: 43
Change: +7
Employees: 350
Waterfields may not wear a cape but it swooped in to save seven shops of fellow Lancashire-based family-run bakery chain Oddie’s from closure last year, with all staff from those sites remaining. Whilst not being rebranded, the stores have been updated with some new Waterfields menu items like savouries and cream cakes, supplied from its main bakery in Leigh near Manchester.
36 (N/A)
Cake Inn
Stores: 40
Change: N/A
Employees: N/A
The Cake Inn business started out with a single shop in Wellingborough, Northants, with founder Mohammed Rizwan still listed as its sole director. Now operating a network of 40 franchise sites, the brand specialises in creating desserts that cater to a lacto-vegetarian diet (ie. egg-free). These include a wide variety of celebration cream cakes as well as brownies, cheesecakes, and cupcakes.
37 (35)
Puccino’s
Stores: 39
Change: +3
Employees: 8 (head office only)
Puccino’s, which operates via a franchise model, has added three new locations to its estate over the past year, broadening its reach at railway stations. As well as new openings, the business also refurbished several stores with Orpington and Twyford among those to get a new look and layout. Rolling into 2026, the business has embraced on-trend beverages with a Cherry Coconut Matcha and a pistachio oat trio also hitting the market.
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Bagel Factory
Stores: 33
Change: -1
Employees: N/A
The Great American Bagel Factory had hoped to increase its estate in the UK to 40 stores by the end of 2025, but the firm's website currently lists 33 sites, a reduction of one on the previous year. Its estate is broadly focussed on travel locations and shopping centres with entertainment venues such as Birmingham NEC and The Light Cinema in Leeds also among them. A new gluten-free Sesame Seed Bagel was added to the menu in January.
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BTC UK
Stores: 31
Change: -1
Employees: 413
Artisan coffee shop chain SOHO Coffee Co closed one store in London during the year but has since opened a new site at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Its sister BTC UK-owned brand, Euphorium, continued to bring “remarkable baking to the heart of London” from its three stores in the city. Indulgent NPD has been on its agenda with stuffed cookies, loaded savoury rolls, and banana bread matcha among recent launches.
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Ground Espresso Bars
Stores: 31
Change: 0
Employees: 226
It’s important “that parents feel welcome bringing their babies and toddlers in”, says Northern Irish firm Ground, which has play areas in most stores and provides free toddler toast and babycinnos. Social cafés, organised by maternal mental health programme Minding Mums, are often held at Ground. A Mint Aero Sponge is among its latest new menu items as well as banana bread matcha, and Bueno iced lattes.
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Coughlans
Bakery
Stores: 31
Change: 0
Employees: 180
Family-run firm Coughlans operates a chain of bakery shops and cafés spanning South London, Surrey, Kent, and West Sussex, opening two new sites in Horsham last year. However, its estate size remained static in 2025 due to a couple of store closures including one in Selsdon, following a “crazy random night” when someone drove a car through the shopfront. The business consequently allowed the lease to expire on the shop.
The brand is highly active on social media, often posting videos starring TV comedian Romesh Ranganathan who became a co-owner in late 2024, being a long-time fan of its vegan offering. The Crawley native was recently honoured with an April Fools’ joke of stores rebranded in his name.
Last year’s April Fools’ joke was taken more seriously, with the £25 Giant Almond Croissant receiving enough interest from customers that it was later added as a weekend special at stores. Other popular new products rolled out by Coughlans during 2025 included a Sag Aloo Pastry, a Firecracker Chilli Sausage Roll, and a Cinnamon Apple Crumble Doughnut, while more recently it enjoyed viral success with its new Crème Brûlée Croissant.
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Paul Bakery
Stores: 31
Change: -1
Employees: 527
Having reverted its Baker Street site to a service-focused shop, Paul Bakery announced its grab-and-go format would be reserved for stores at transport hubs. In December 2024, the business, which operates Paul and Paul Le Café, closed its Covent Garden store, which was the first to open in the UK 25 years earlier. Product-wise, Paul has leaned into seasonal launches with a turkey & bacon festive sandwich and crêpes among new launches.
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Lola’s Cupcakes
Stores: 29
Change: +4
Employees: 431
Lola's estate expansion ramped up last year, with new sites at a trio of London railway stations as well as a one in a Solihull shopping centre. The cake specialist has since unveiled its first northern location at the Trafford Centre in Manchester. Looking to the future, Lola’s Cupcakes is set to benefit from the expertise, scale, and commercial reach of bakery manufacturer Finsbury Food Group, after it acquired a 70% stake in the business in August.
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Jenkins Bakery
Stores: 28
Change: 0
Employees: 300
Director Russell Jenkins didn’t mince his words describing 2025 as “a very challenging year with lower sales growth than expected and a downturn in customer footfall”. Despite this, the Welsh bakery forged ahead with shop refurbs, a task which remains on the agenda for 2026 alongside upgrading its coffee machines. It found success with NPD– its bestsellers were a Cheese & Jalapeno Slice, BBQ Chicken Panini, and Sweet Chilli Southern Fried Chicken Wrap.
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Thomas The Baker
Stores: 28
Change: 0
Employees: 353
Against a background of an uncertain economic environment, sales at Thomas The Baker for 2025 were “in line with expectations but by no means exceptional”. The family-run business' estate spans much of Yorkshire and the North East of England, serving up bread, pies, pastries, and biscuits among other items including bake-at-home sausages rolls. It aims to 'keep things local' with around 65% of ingredients sourced from local businesses.
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Benugo
Stores: 26
Change: N/A
Employees: 1,499*
Benugo’s estate is far larger than 26 but, following a review, only its cafés are counted in this report. These include various London parks and tourist attractions, such as Edinburgh Castle and the Natural History Museum. The business reported its highest turnover ever at £134.7m for the 52 w/e 25 December 2024, up from the previous record of £123.5m. It had a positive outlook for 2025, noting that it was excited by the potential in public space and corporate accounts.
*Employee numbers for whole estate to 25 December 2024
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Ole & Steen
Stores: 26
Change: 0
Employees: N/A
A refocused strategy – which saw the Danish Bakery and coffee house invest in its shops, staff, and production facility – paid off with 5% increase in turnover for the year ending 31 December 2024 and a 25% increase in EBITDA to £4.9m. More success came in 2025 when Ole & Steen’s goods, including a Cardamom Bun, Cinnamon Social, and Chocolate Swirl, rolled out in 35 Waitrose in-store bakeries. This continued into 2026 as it secured Ocado listings for its bread and pastries.
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Batch’d
Stores: 25
Change: 0
Employees: 148
The Leed-based sweet treat specialist, founded by David Richmond in 2021, has grown to operate high-footfall sites stretching from Glasgow to London. Its shops and kiosks stock fresh brownies, doughnuts, and cookies supplied by independent Yorkshire bakeries and made in small batches, hence the name. In October 2025, Batch’d secured £1.1m investment from Finance Yorkshire, supporting plans to double its retail estate over the next three years.
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Martin’s Craft Bakery
Stores: 25
Change: -2
Employees: 264
Investment in its retail estate saw Manchester-based Martins Craft Bakery’s continued roll-out of new counters to all shops in 2025 and into 2026. This follows the previous year’s installation of shop fronts and flooring at some stores. In January this year, HolyOak St Ltd became the controlling shareholder of the business; its directors are Jennifer and Toby Graemer and Neil Martin. The business serves up traditional bread and pastries alongside sandwiches and deli items.
*Employee numbers to 31 December 2024
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Wrights
Stores: 24
Change: +5
Employees: 91
Wrights is celebrating 100 years of business in style in 2026 with a new Chicken, Leek & Bacon Pie and Caramel Custard Slice rolled out for the occasion. It saw decent estate growth in 2025 thanks to a partnership with forecourt operator MFG with 10 sites now up and running as well as hot towers in others. Elsewhere, it spruced up its shop estate with a new name ‘Wrights the Bakery’. A potential reshuffling of existing locations is on the horizon as well as one or two more stores, according to Helen Bowyer, commercial director – foodservice at The Compleat Food Group which owns the brand.
51 - 75
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Buns From Home
Stores: 24
Change: +3
Employees: N/A
Last year saw Barney Goff back at the steering wheel and driving expansion of the company he founded out of his mother’s kitchen in West London five years ago. The bun specialist added three new sites across the capital – in Crouch End, Leadenhall Market, and Balham – but recently revealed it would be closing one of its oldest shops, at Holland Park, due to a rent hike.
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Wafflemeister
Stores: 24
Change: -1
Employees: 120
To combat the “challenging environment” on the high street, Wafflemeister increased its range and specials to attract more customers. Leisure and travel continued to be the main growth areas, and the firm opened its first travel site at Heathrow Terminal 4 which has performed “above expectations”. New sweet and savoury products are on the agenda for 2026.
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Galloways Bakers
Stores: 23
Change: 0
Employees: 193*
Best known for its pies, made using only the finest quality meat supplied by local butcher, H Greaves and Son, Wigan-based craft bakery Galloways has been paying attention to its other lines too. Customers can now order fresh cream trifles as well as vanilla and chocolate gateaux for the weekend with 24 hours’ notice. These are decorated with chocolate and fruit.
*Employee numbers to 31 December 2024
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Boston Tea Party
Stores: 22
Change: 0
Employees: 604
“Our people remain the heartbeat of Boston Tea Party,” states the company’s strategic report for the year ended 22 October 2025. Through its Aspiring Leaders Programme, 29 future leaders progressed, ten people were promoted and 38% of leadership roles were filled internally. Staff stability supported consistent customer experience, and internal promotions reduced hiring costs.
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Cornish Bakehouse
Stores: 22
Change: 3
Employees: 110
New openings both in its southwest stronghold and in locations such as Brighton helped drive up sales at Cornish Bakehouse last year. Even with rising costs in labour and commodities, its margins held strong thanks to tight stock control, IT-enabled efficiencies at stores, and better priced packaging sourced from further afield.
MD Kevin Mitchell has revealed plans to continue retail expansion, including ambitions to “move into unfamiliar territory”, although its latest shop opened last month is located in Falmouth, Cornwall. “We are currently looking across the south of England and Wales with the exception of London, and we have made enquiries further north as well,” notes Mitchell, adding an expectation of four or five new shops a year.
Traditional Cornish pasties have been headlining the brand’s range since it was founded in St Ives in 1983, with sausage rolls, sandwiches, and Viennoiserie also becoming popular as well as head-turning sweet treats such as giant Swiss meringues and cannoli. A range of coolers, frappes, and matcha also provided incremental sales boosts in 2025.
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Caffè Concerto
Stores: 22
Change: 0
Employees: 289*
The Italian restaurant chain, known for its luxury cakes, patisserie, and afternoon tea, opened a new site on London’s Oxford Street in early 2025. However, it cancelled out its estate growth by closing its branch at Birmingham’s Grand Central Station after a decade of operations, leaving Leeds as its only location outside London.
*Employee total as of 1 January 2025
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Chatwins
Stores: 22
Change: -1
Employees: 316*
Cheshire-based Chatwins went back to the future when it closed one shop in Crewe and opened another. The Victoria Street store was relocated back to the company’s owned site at 9 Earl Street, keeping its much-admired croissant-shape door handles, in December. Chatwins unveiled a Bakewell slice in June and iced matcha drinks in 2026.
*Employee total as of 31 January 2025
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Dunkin’
Stores: 21
Change: -7
Employees: N/A
Doughnut and hot drink specialist Dunkin’s UK estate continues to shrink, with 21 stores listed on its website at the start of the BMR research process but only 15 come April. It remains active on social media and its app, with seasonal products rolled out include Blueberry, Banoffee, and even Carrot Cake flavoured Iced Matcha and doughnuts.
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Mr Pretzels
Stores: 21
Change: 0
Employees: 169
The directors declared themselves “generally satisfied” with Mr Pretzel’s performance as sales grew and gross profit remained stable, in accounts for the year ended 30 September 2024 – the most recent filed at Companies House. A Christmas promotion saw customers awarded a free pretzel for finding a star in orders of pretzel bites.
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Bakery 79
Stores: 20
Change: N/A
Employees: 150
Forecourt operator Park Garage Group’s conversion of Greggs franchises into Bakery 79 outlets in March 2025 catapulted the brand onto this year’s list. The Croydon-based company is currently looking to continue rolling out new locations for its fresh food-to-go retail concept , which offers breakfast options, sandwiches, pastries, pizzas, and sweet treats sourced from third-party suppliers.
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Ben’s Cookies
Stores: 20
Change: +4
Employees: 88
Hautecaters, which runs Ben’s Cookies shops in the UK, reported a minor reduction in operating profit for the year ending 31 March 2025 compared with the previous year. This was partly due to the rising cost of goods, especially chocolate, which the brand boasts of adding in chunks not chips to its cookies. Limited edition festive flavours included Date & Milk Chocolate and Rum & Raisin.
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Haute Dolci
Stores: 20
Change: N/A
Employees: 500
A strong 2025 saw this luxury dessert parlour franchise open a flagship store in central Manchester’s Deansgate area and launch a new streamlined kiosk format called Dolci Mono. Ludwig Hely was recently appointed as executive pastry chef to accelerate NPD and elevate the patisserie offering, building on the likes of its viral Pistachio Kunafa range and decadent Matilda cake.
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JG Ross
Stores: 20
Change: -1
Employees: 306
Scottish bakery JG Ross closed its Stonehaven shop early in 2025 but otherwise carried on serving customers across Aberdeenshire and Moray. This includes with the likes of handmade butteries, which it produces 190,000 of per week. The company also has 30 concessions selling cakes and savouries at Spar, Scotmid, and Morrison Daily stores, and supplies prepacked goods for branded sections at retailers.
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Truffles Bakery
Stores: 20
Change: +1
Employees: 250
Sausage rolls, jam doughnuts, and white knot rolls are the bestsellers at Sussex-based family-run bakery Truffles. The business continued its slow but steady expansion with a site in Findon Valley opened in late 2025, and another one in Seaford in the works for this year. A similar approach is also being taken to refurbs, with Hove and Uckfield sites among those to be spruced up recently.
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Bewiched Coffee
Stores: 19
Change: 0
Employees: 146
Bewiched celebrated its 15th birthday in October, with 19 stores “and counting”. Plans for 2026 include a third drive-thru at a location yet to be announced (the existing two are in Northampton and Wellingborough) and a new walk-in shop in Buckinghamshire. The brand’s sweet treats for Christmas included mince pie slice, Rudolph biscuit and chocolate orange cake.
66 (N/A)
Brick Lane
Bagel Co.
Stores: 18
Change: N/A
Employees: N/A
With a name inspired by the traditional beigel shops on London’s Brick Lane, this Essex-based franchise brand founded by father-and-son duo Stuart and Elliot Hearne has been steadily expanding across the Southeast. Offering a menu of filled bagels options like NY Lox and Reuben, it opened sites in Braintree and Chislehurst during 2025 and recently added a new shopping centre outlet in Basildon.
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Gerrards
Stores: 17
Change: 0
Employees: 122
Founded in 1838, Gerrards uses quality ingredients sourced within 20 miles of its main bakery in Wrexham. Aiming to support local business and limit food miles, it buys vegetables for its pasties, beef, lamb, pork, milk, cream and eggs from nearby suppliers whenever possible. The company’s bread is handcrafted daily, with white loaves made using the sponge and dough method.
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Staniforths
Stores: 17
Change: 0
Employees: 135
Gingerbread Dr Teds are helping to raise funds for Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity. Family-owned and operated bakery Staniforths donates 20p from every biscuit sold to the charity’s dementia appeal. The company partners with cafés and sandwich shops across Rotherham, Sheffield and Barnsley to provide freshly made goods and baked treats.
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Dorringtons
Stores: 16
Change: 0
Employees: 215
In addition to its shops,
Dorringtons has seven snack vans and increasing online sales. The family-run business intends to develop the latter two channels further. Its strategic report for the year ended 31 March 2025, highlights an increase in like-for-like turnover of 9.1% YOY and investment of £380,000 in new machinery, vehicles and shop fittings.
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Stephens Bakery
Stores: 16
Change: +1
Employees: 270
A “solid year with resilient performance despite the challenging trading environment” is how joint MD Talia Baylis sums up 2025 for Stephens. It opened another store and expanded its reach in convenience with concessions in 183 stores, an increase of 22 versus a year ago. Morning rolls remain the bestseller but Yum Yums took the title of bestselling new product.
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Rodeo Doughnuts
Stores: 15
Change: +2
Employees: 110
With a new brand in place, Rodeo refurbished its store network and ventured into coffee and cookies. But the “biggest achievement” says founder Tom Anderson was expanding outside of London with three new stores in Manchester. Growing in the north is its focus for 2026. Biscoff and Kinder Bueno doughnuts remain the bestsellers, but Gluten Free has seen the most growth.
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Cavan Bakery
Stores: 15
Change: 0
Employees: 138
The first half of 2025 was “very challenging” says MD Nicky Taylor, noting that Cavan Bakery took “decisive action early to avoid being knocked off course”. This included rolling out Sunday trading, and partnering with delivery and surplus apps Just Eat, Deliveroo and Too Good To Go which resulted in a “clear recovery in sales” in H2. Nutella and Kinder Bueno Fully Loaded Cookies are the standout bestseller with sourdough also reigning supreme. Cavan has created a new range of deli sandwiches to showcase its sourdough which are “going down a storm with customers”.
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Rowe’s Cornish Bakers
Stores: 15
Change: -1
Employees: 476*
Rowe’s customers are tempted by limited time offers, such as a three cheese, cranberry & jalapeño pasty offered before Christmas. A new summer picnic box – comprising 24 pork or cheese & onion mini rolls, cream tea for four and three Danish pastries – was available for home delivery for one week only in August.
*Employee total as of 31 December 2024
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Malcolm
Barnecutt
Stores: 14
Change: 0
Employees: 228
Founded in 1930, generations of bakers have kept the Barnecutt tradition alive and in 2025 it was Malcolm Barnecutt's turn to step aside and let his son, James, take the helm. Malcolm was thrilled when the business opened a shop in February 2026 at Padstow – his childhood hometown – which sells a range of freshly baked favourites.
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Friary Mill
Stores: 13
Change: 0
Employees: 136
Friary Mill Bakery has worked on building increased resilience and consistency over the past year. The iconic Pink Finger remains its bestselling product, with the Pink Finger Celebration Stack proving to be extremely popular with loyal customers. For 2026, there will be a strong focus on NPD and innovation while delivering outstanding service.
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Reeve the Baker
Stores: 13
Change: 0
Employees: 220
Having hit the Bakery Market Report for the first time last year, things remained steady at family-owned Reeve the Baker’s estate. Its shops are serviced by a central bakery in Wilton, Wiltshire where breads, cakes, and pastries are made. On socials, it invites customers behind the scenes to share its artisanal qualities and the skills of its team.