Chester-based Usher’s Bakehouse has launched a £50k crowdfunding campaign to support the creation of a wholesale arm.
Funds raised will be used to purchase a new purpose-built bread oven, mixers, baking frames, and additional bannetons to help transform the “humble bakery into a well-oiled machine”.
The bakery was originally established by Gordon Usher in 1968, and grew to operate three sites before ill health of the founder forced its closure. Last year, Gordon’s grandson Gary Usher – a chef who also owns the Elite Bistros group of five restaurants, a pub, and an events catering business across the northwest – decided to ‘reimagine’ the bakery at Deva House on Lightfoot Street in the Chester suburb of Hoole.
“We’re at a point now a year after its inception where we know the product is incredible, we have the energy, we see the brightest of futures we just need to raise some ‘dough’ to invest in its potential,” wrote Usher on the firm’s Kickstarter page. With a deadline of 14 May, the campaign has raised more than £32,500 from 252 backers (at time of publication).
“We’ve been having our doors well and truly knocked down by enquiries. Taprooms, sports grounds, offices, hotels… we want to supply them all,” added Usher. “Chef/baker extraordinaire Nathan has gotten us this far, but it is high time we used his skills to develop our product line. With the addition of the bread oven to our team, we will be able to do this.”
Current production at the bakery is around 600 loaves per week, which it sells at its onsite retail outlet and via Elite Bistros locations. It plans to purchase new equipment to help increase capacity of its sourdough, bread, cake, and pastry lines, so they can be supplied to coffee shops, restaurants and event spaces across Cheshire and beyond.
Owner Usher has much experience in successful crowdfunding for his various ventures over the years, having run eight previous campaigns that raised a total of over £900k from 8,000 backers. He noted that loans from banks could have been used, but “we don’t get along very well with them most of the time”.
Various rewards are being offered to investors in Usher’s Bakehouse, ranging from a tote bag for a £12 pledge, and bread for a year for £200, up to a private dinner party in your house for a £2,500 contribution.
Crowdfunding successes recorded by other businesses in the UK baking industry over the past year include Jnck Bakery smashing its £200k target by over 30%, London-based Sourdough Sophia raising £500k, and Cambridge’s Stir Bakery soaring over its £100k goal.
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