Bagel Nash has outlined plans to open eight new outlets in the next 12 months, British Baker can reveal.

The news comes as the Leeds-based BB75 bagel retailer and manufacturer opened its 15th outlet last month, based on Wheeler Gate in Nottingham. It has become the firm’s flagship location and will help lead growth across the Midlands region.

Sara Hildreth, retail director at Bagel Nash, told British Baker that its next store will launch in Manchester, where it currently operates two branches, and is expected to open by this October.

In addition, Bagel Nash has secured a new manufacturing site, which is 13,000sq ft larger in size than its existing base, and will help the business to cope with a series of new wholesale contracts it has recently secured.

Hildreth said: “We have got the keys to our new bakery, which needs completely refurbishing and will take around three months. It is located around an hour from our existing base, as we wanted to retain our bakers.

“We took over the business in July 2011 with the intention of expanding, and we are currently doing this as part of our retail operations. As part of our five-year plan, we aim to have 60 stores open by year five.”

She added that the company has started recruiting as a result of the business growing, with plans to employ at least 30 new members of staff at its bakery manufacturing site.

Bagel Nash currently has a workforce of 110 employees as part of its retail operations, and plans to extend this to 500 members of staff working across the business when it expands its estate to 60 outlets.

“However, we are going to keep the business northern-centric,” Hildreth explained.

With regards to its international export business, Bagel Nash would look to supply its products to Australia alongside existing contracts in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

She said: “We have had a couple of enquiries from Australia, and are having conversations with them, and it’s not something we wouldn’t be adverse to. Obviously if the price is right for the customer, and could deliver the quality and standard, then we would be happy to.”

Bagel Nash, which operates in Leeds, Manchester, York and the East Midlands, was acquired by Hildreth and chief executive Andy Mickelthwaite two years ago as part of a management buy-in, backed by YFM Equity Partners.

The business is currently ranked 65 on British Baker’s BB75 annual authoritative tracker of retail bakery firms, based on store count, moving up 10 places since 2012 after opening three stores in the last 12 months.

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