Gail’s and The Bread Factory appoint new managing directors

Gail’s has named Nick Ayerst as its new managing director, while Dan Barrett has been promoted to the same role at sister company The Bread Factory.

Ayerst joins the high street bakery chain at the end of March from Lebanese restaurant operator Comptoir Group, where he was CEO. He previously served as MD of Leon and also led the travel concessions division of The Restaurant Group.

“Nick’s extensive industry experience and people focused leadership will strengthen our team for the growth ahead and will contribute to Gail’s plans,” commented a company spokesperson.

Marta Pogroszewska, who discussed Gail’s 2024 growth plans with British Baker in her capacity as MD at the time, will now focus on her existing role of COO at Bread Holdings, the parent company of Gail’s and The Bread Factory which has more recently become Grain Topco.

In a LinkedIn post commenting on the latest appointments, Pogroszewska wrote: “As we grow, we are building our Bread Holdings team and our business from strength to strength so that we can continue delivering high quality at scale and with positive impact on the world around us”.

Barrett joined The Bread Factory in October 2021, assuming responsibility for managing the wholesale business and principal group functions. His duties will now involve overseeing grocery and foodservice supply for brands including Gail’s, Bertinet, and The Flour Station. Prior to this, he worked at Innocent Drinks, Deliciously Ella, Deloitte and BT, amassing a wealth of experience in commercial leadership and innovation.

“He is devoted to The Bread Factory and our ambition to become one of top bakeries in the world, with a passionate focus on quality, impact and scale,” Pogroszewska said of Barrett.

Last November, The Bread Factory appointed Tom Martin – creator of Britain’s Best Loaf 2024 – as head baker at its Manchester production site, ahead of a planned move into a bigger purpose-built facility in the coming year. 

Both Gail’s and The Bread Factory reported significant growth in their latest financial year. Continued expansion of Gail’s estate has driven a 28% rise in revenue to £179m for the full year to 29 February 2024, whilst turnover for the group’s wholesale business jumped almost a fifth to reach £83.7m.