Muffin Break, the bakery café, has opened its second Welsh store in Newport as part of rapid expansion plans to open 14 stores by the end of 2016.

Seating around 82 people, the new store is franchised to Richard Steele and is part of Newport’s new £100m Friars Walk shopping centre.

Muffin Break is planning to open its new stores across the country, with some franchised and some owned directly by the company. Stores due to open by the end of the year include Merry Hill in Dudley, Horsham in Sussex and Southend-on-Sea in Essex, all of which will be owned directly by Muffin Break.

Steele said: “I’m very proud to open the new Muffin Break store in the heart of Newport and to be part of the Muffin Break brand. Everything that the new artisan bakery will produce is made by trained bakers and will be prepared fresh each morning, using only the freshest of ingredients. I’m very excited to welcome new customers through our doors and to invite them to try our delicious Muffin Break offering.”

Michael Arbuckle, managing director of Muffin Break, said the fact the company made its products on-site across its stores was vital to its identity.

He said: “That’s the point of difference - that we bake on-site.”

He added hospitals were a key target for store locations, saying: “We like hospitals; I think our customers notice our point of difference there.”

Muffin Break currently operates 60 stores and franchises in the UK, serving ethically sourced premium coffee and food.