 | |
| 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.
Initially, set up in the 1990s as a bakery supplying the restaurant industry with a view to putting the craft back into baking, to promote the value of sourdough bread, and to encourage people to see a well-made loaf as something of value. [2]
They opened their first bakery on Hampstead High Street in 2005 and their 100th in East Sheen in 2022. [1] [4]
In 2021, all Gail's branches were within a 55 mile radius of its central bakery and kitchen in Hendon, [5] but it has since expanded further afield. As of August 2024, the Gail's map still shows a predominant concentration of London branches, with their next highest concentration being across southeastern counties. Their entire northern footprint is limited to Altrincham, Chester, Didsbury, Knutsford, Manchester, and Wilmslow.
Conversely, if you take Gail's original branch in Hampstead as a starting point, there are many bakeries within mere miles, including: Crouch End, Highgate, and Muswell Hill… Belsize Park, Golders Green, and Islington. [6]
Gail's has launched various initiatives to reduce food waste, such as selling a sourdough loaf made partially from leftover bread. [7] It partnered with Neighbourly to distribute surplus food in 2023. [8]
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. [9]
In August 2024, residents of Walthamstow Village petitioned to "prevent Gail’s from establishing a store on [its] high street." The "refined" 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. [10]
In 2024, Gail's won the "Best Coffee Shop/Café Group" award at the MCA Hospitality Awards. [11]
Gail's has continued to expand its presence across the UK, opening new bakeries in various towns and cities [12] . In addition to its growth, the company has been actively engaged in community initiatives. [13] Gail's has partnered with local organizations to support food waste reduction and has participated in community events to strengthen its connection with local residents.
Gail's remains committed to its sustainability goals. [14] The company continues to focus on reducing food waste through initiatives such as selling surplus food and creating products from leftover ingredients. Gail's has also been exploring new product innovations, such as developing sustainable packaging options and experimenting with alternative ingredients.
A croissant is a French pastry made from puff pastry in a crescent shape.
A baguette is a long, thin type of bread of French origin that is commonly made from basic lean dough. It is distinguishable by its length and crisp crust.
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Rye bread is a type of bread made with various proportions of flour from rye grain. It can be light or dark in color, depending on the type of flour used and the addition of coloring agents, and is typically denser than bread made from wheat flour. Compared to white bread, it is higher in fiber, darker in color, and stronger in flavor. The world's largest exporter of rye bread is Poland.
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Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc. is the American corporate arm of the Mexican multinational bakery product manufacturing company Grupo Bimbo. It is the largest bakery company in the United States. The subsidiary, headquartered in Horsham, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, owns many fresh bread and sweet baked goods brands in the United States, including Arnold, Levy's, Ball Park, Columbo, Francisco, Oroweat, Entenmann's, Sara Lee, and Thomas'. It is also a top advertising sponsor for many major soccer teams around the globe.
The history of California bread as a prominent factor in the field of bread baking dates from the days of the California Gold Rush around 1849, encompassing the development of sourdough bread in San Francisco. It includes the rise of artisan bakeries in the 1980s, which strongly influenced what has been called the "Bread Revolution".
Bread is a staple food throughout Europe. Throughout the 20th century, there was a huge increase in global production, mainly due to a rise in available, developed land throughout Europe, North America and Africa.
The City Bakery was a bakery, cafe, chocolate shop, caterer and wholesaler. Its first location opened in Lower Manhattan of New York City in 1990. There were eight City Bakery locations in Japan: Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. City Bakery Detroit was its last expansion. City Bakery also owned and operated six eco-minded bakeries called Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery in New York. The City Bakery closed on October 20, 2019 due to debt-related financial difficulties.
A babka is a sweet braided bread which originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. It is popular in Israel and in the Jewish diaspora. It is prepared with a yeast-leavened dough that is rolled out and spread with a filling such as chocolate, cinnamon, fruit, or cheese, then rolled up and braided before baking.
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Tabor Bread is a bakery in Portland, Oregon's Sunnyside neighborhood, in the United States. Tissa Stein opened the bakery at the intersection of 50th and Hawthorne Boulevard in 2012. The business relocated to Belmont Street in 2022. Rebecca Tosdevin has owned the bakery since 2023, following Stein's retirement. The bakery has garnered a positive reception.