Greggs has kicked off a trial of its first ever Greggs Express unit, a self-service solution designed to make it quicker and easier for customers to pick up items from the food-to-go retailer.
The first unit was unveiled at a petrol forecourt, which is operated by Motor Fuel Group (MFG), just outside Glasgow Airport. The compact self-service unit offers customers a range of popular Greggs favourites, including savoury bakes, sweet treats and Fairtrade hot drinks, seven days a week.
The trial, which will assess customer behaviour and response to the self-service offer, will see a small number of self-service units rolled out across MFG travel hub locations over the coming months.
It comes after the operator launched the Bitesize Greggs format last year, which supported estate expansion by opening up high footfall locations that do not have space for a full service shop. The business now has three Bitesize shops open in Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet in Ellesmere Port, Sevenoaks Railway Station, and Dartford Railway Station as part of an ongoing trial.
As of 9 May 2026, Greggs had 2,759 shops in its estate with 2,141 company-managed and 618 operated by franchisees. Its portfolio has continued to grow at pace in recent years, so much so that it overtook Costa as the largest operator on the Bakery Market Report 2026.
“Greggs Express is our latest concept being trialled to help us enhance our customer experience, focusing on convenience and speed,” said Tony Rowson, property director at Greggs.
“The units will allow customers to grab their favourite bake or serve coffee themselves, ideal for customers on the move. Working with MFG, the trial will help us understand how this format can support our growth ambitions alongside our broader estate growth plans, while continuing to deliver the great-tasting food and value our customers expect.”
Jamie Constable, head of operations – food service at MFG added that the self-service format is “perfectly suited to the fast-paced, on-the-go needs of our customers, and we are delighted to be Greggs’ partner of choice for this exciting trial”.
Greggs isn’t the only one to explore the potential for bakery items in the forecourt arena. Forecourt operator EG On The Move recently unveiled a new in-store bakery (ISB) concept, called Bill’s Bakery, at four of its petrol stations. Heritage bakery brand Wrights, meanwhile, has also ventured into forecourts via a partnership with MFG with 10 sites up and running as well as hot towers in others. Even retailer M&S has opened its first ISB at a BP-operated forecourt as part of a retail trial.
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