Knead Bakery has revealed an estate ambition of up to 100 sites within the next 15 to 20 years as it opens its fourth and biggest shop to date in Oxford.
The craft bakery business was co-founded by chefs Kris Biggs and John Hawes in 2020, who previously worked together at the Michelin-starred restaurant in Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa.
Biggs noted the firm is looking towards “priority locations” for its retail expansion including additional Oxford sites as well as in Bath, Bristol, and Cheltenham. “So definitely a focus predominantly on areas in the southwest,” he commented.
Boasting 2,368 sq ft of floor space, the latest shop at was opened on Tuesday (24 June) at the former Hobbs women’s boutique on Oxford High Street. It marks the firm’s first venture into Oxfordshire, with Knead’s three other stores spread across Gloucestershire – in Tetbury, Cirencester, and Elkstone.
These are supplied by a 2,500 sq ft central bakery near Malmesbury in Wiltshire, which will increase production up to 12,000 units per week when its fifth site (around half the size of the Oxford shop) is launched next month at Cotswolds Designer Outlet in Tewkesbury. Biggs said Knead’s current CPU has capacity to supply between eight and ten sites, and thus further expansion would require more bakeries of a similar size and design to be established in strategic areas.
While both the Oxford shop and the upcoming one in Tewkesbury offer seating for eat-in customers (24 and eight covers, respectively), they are anticipating the majority of trade (around 70%) to be from takeaway orders. Due to logistic issues of getting in and out of Oxford – the historic city is notoriously congested and access for larger vehicles is limited – Knead has designed its shop there to be a more self-sufficient bakery needing only two deliveries per week.
The range of handmade pastries, patisserie, cakes, and savoury treats at Knead shop include signature products such as sausage rolls, pecan & maple Danishes, almond croissants, sea salt & rosemary focaccia, and lemon meringue pie.
Having been a head pastry chef at Lords of the Manor Hotel as well as a stint under the Roux brothers at The Waterside Inn, Biggs ensures a healthy NPD pipeline is maintained at Knead. “We review products quarterly after thorough review of previous sales, with seasonality at the heart of our decisions as well as always trying to keep in front of current trends and be innovators in our industry,” he added. So far this year, it has rolled out Heart-shaped Pâtisserie for Mother’s Day and Guinness Muffins for Father’s Day and is once again selling vibrant ‘Paradise Pride’ pâtisserie for Pride Month during June.
In addition to brick-and-mortar retail, the company has also found success with its ‘Knead on Wheels’ mobile bakery van service, which brings freshly made baguettes, salads, and sweet treats to workplaces and local villages across Gloucestershire. Its sales via its website (‘Knead by Post’) are slower, admitted Biggs, adding “we only offer it for convenience – most customers prefer to see the products in store”.
To help accelerate its retail expansion towards the three-figure mark, Knead is planning on introducing an express business model of takeaway only shops selling a simplified and reduced product range. These will sit in a much smaller space, ideal for the likes of travel hubs including train stations, bus stations and airports.
Warrens is an example of a southwest-based bakery chain that has expanded its presence in the travel sector and extended outside of the region to currently operate a total of 42 locations. At the start of this year, there were 15 brands in the out-of-home bakery market that have estates larger than 100.
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