 | |
| Founded | 2005 [1] |
|---|---|
| Founders | Gail Mejia Tom Molnar [2] |
Number of locations | 131 (as of August 2024) [3] |
| Website | gails |
Gail's (styled "GAIL's") is a British bakery and coffee shop chain.
| | |
| Founded | 2005 [1] |
|---|---|
| Founders | Gail Mejia Tom Molnar [2] |
Number of locations | 131 (as of August 2024) [3] |
| Website | gails |
Gail's (styled "GAIL's") is a British bakery and coffee shop chain.
The bakery opened it first shop on Hampstead High Street in 2005 and their 100th in East Sheen in 2022. [1] [4] [ better source needed ]
In 2021, all Gail's branches were within a 55 mile radius of its central bakery and kitchen in Hendon, [5] and expanded to Altrincham, Chester, Didsbury, Knutsford, Manchester, and Wilmslow.
Gail's has launched various initiatives to reduce food waste, such as selling a sourdough loaf made partially from leftover bread. [6] It partnered with Neighbourly to distribute surplus food in 2023. [7]
In August 2024, some customers criticised Gail's for selling their leftover "twice-baked" chocolate and almond croissants and indeed their almond croissants for £1 more than their fresh counterparts. The day-old pastries are "soaked in demerara syrup and topped with [their] homemade frangipane spread, alongside crunchy almonds." Gail's market their twice-baked pastries as part of their "Waste Not" range, with the objective being to combat food waste. Another customer stated that it is "standard" for how almond croissants are made. [8]
In August 2024, residents of Walthamstow Village petitioned to "prevent Gail’s from establishing a store on [its] high street." The village is known for its antiques shop, its tapas deli, and its independent cafés. The petition originator said the brand brought "a risk of overshadowing our much-loved local stores" and that the residents should "together safeguard the soul of our beloved neighbourhood." [3]
"Does it have a Gail’s?" became a political bellwether for the Liberal Democrats in the lead up to the 2024 general election. The political party received their best-ever general election result by "ruthlessly targeting" Conservative constituencies. One metric was the "Does it have a Gail’s?" question. [9]
In 2024, Gail's won the "Best Coffee Shop/Café Group" award at the MCA Hospitality Awards. [10]
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A croissant is a French pastry made from puff pastry in a crescent shape.
A bakery is an establishment that produces and sells flour-based baked goods made in an oven such as bread, cookies, cakes, doughnuts, bagels, pastries, and pies. Some retail bakeries are also categorized as cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises. In some countries, a distinction is made between bakeries, which primarily sell breads, and pâtisseries, which primarily sell sweet baked goods.
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