In this series, British Baker talks to people from across the baking industry to find out about their career path, what their job involves, and the latest trends that are shaping their work.
We’re looking to showcase a diverse range of talent and job types across the industry, so if you’d like to be involved, please email dan.riley@wrbm.com.
Name: Sophie McGregor
Age: 34
Job title: Co-founder
Company and location: Griddle Bakery, London
Education: Masters in Bioarchaeology (2014)
Tell us about your career to date:
I started my career in finance, but I was always building things on the side and knew that I wanted to do something that aligned with my values around health, innovation, and better food. After working with a number of disruptive FMCG brands like Vita Coco and Jealous Sweets, I co-founded Griddle with Ella Harland.
We’re a frozen bakery brand committed to creating healthier, natural alternatives to traditional baked goods. We launched into freezers 2022 and have grown rapidly into major retailers like Tesco, Asda, and Ocado.
Explain your job in a sentence (or two):
As a co-founder I wear many hats – from sales and operations to finance, strategy, and brand. Ultimately, my job is to steer the business forward, make strategic decisions, and build a brand people genuinely love.
What does a typical workday involve for you?
No two days are ever the same, which is what I love. Ella and I catch up pretty much every morning either online or in the office. I might be pitching to a retailer in the morning, troubleshooting logistics in the afternoon, and reviewing our social media or financials in between. It’s fast, full-on, and constantly evolving.
Tell us about a challenge you have overcome recently:
It’s always operations isn’t it! Aside from that – probably fundraising. As two female founders, there are still so many hurdles to raising capital, but I’m proud to say after a lot of perseverance we did close our round earlier this year.
What are your career highlights so far?
Launching into Tesco and Asda within a year of each other was huge, and being selected for the Tesco Accelerator programme felt like a real vote of confidence. But the real highlight is hearing from customers who’ve made Griddle part of their weekly routine. We did customer calls recently and it’s just incredible to hear how so many people have found and love Griddle.
What’s the biggest misconception about being a founder of a bakery brand?
That ambient products on shelves are somehow fresher. The reality is that most ambient bakery items are packed with preservatives to extend their shelf life, whereas frozen allows you to lock in freshness without compromise. People are often surprised to learn that freezing is actually one of the most natural forms of preservation – no need for additives or artificial ingredients. As a frozen bakery brand, we’re able to deliver a genuinely fresher product with less waste, better taste, and clean labels.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs in the food industry?
So many things I could say! Have a great team around you – you can’t do alone. Start simple and be clear on your ‘why’. It’s easy to get caught up in NPD or branding before you’ve nailed the fundamentals.
Don’t spend money on branding in the early stages: test your product, listen to your customer, and make sure your supply chain is watertight. Most importantly keep going – resilience is everything.
Interested in a career in bakery? Check out Foodmanjobs for the latest vacancies.
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