A beloved bakery chain with outlets across the UK is set to launch 40 fresh locations following a surge in sales throughout the past year. Gail’s, renowned for its artisanal pastries and bread, currently operates 185 branches throughout the UK, with 36 new openings in 2024 alone, reports BirminghamLive.
Revenue has been soaring as customers form lengthy queues to sample the sought-after franchise’s offerings. The company revealed that turnover climbed to £278 million in the year ending February 2025, though disclosed that pre-tax losses had expanded to £7.8 million. The previous year saw this figure at £7.4 million, with the increased pre-tax deficit attributed to escalating expenses and substantial investment in new premises, according to Companies House filings.
Bakery group directors also noted that workforce and energy costs had surged, impacting profit margins, whilst Gail’s invested £51 million in pre-launch expenses for new branches. A Gail’s representative informed the Propel trade publication: “We are pleased to have delivered strong year-on-year growth.
“This performance is underpinned by the increasing demand for high-quality, nutrient dense food, and by the support of the communities we serve. We will continue to build on this momentum by growing with purpose and remaining committed to improving access to good food.”
Tom Molnar, Gail’s co-founder, said at a Propel-organised conference this month: “We do have a lot of bakeries now, but it took 20 years to get there.
“It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t very fast. Twice, we had to stop growing altogether, because we didn’t think that we could be better; we were worried about getting consumed by speed.
“We’re still early in our growth. You take McDonald’s, Greggs or any other successful food business here in the UK – they operate from thousands of sites, and we’re still below 200.” Gail’s appears to be taking Britain by storm, as it is estimated to be valued at as much as £500 million at present.
The company was initially established by Yael (Gail) Mejia in the early 1990s.
It was at the start of the 2000s that Mr Molnar and others joined the enterprise to launch the first bakery café as we recognise it today in London. There are now locations across the nation.
