Does anyone know much about Gail's bakery? the company?

[GuesstheEnd]

They're an up market bakery/coffeeshop with several stores in London and huge expansion plans. They seem very popular in up market places, although the prices are

DS works there and seems to be enjoying it. They treat staff very well. He was offered much more money than his previous, similar, job to go there when they opened a new store in our town and has since been given more money still to go and help open another store further afield, along with promises of a promotion when he returns and that they'll put him forward for a really big job (3 times his current salary) should a vacancy arise.

It all sounds wonderful, but also too good to be true and when something sounds too good to be true....

I used to work in corporate finance and overly rapid expansion plans were always a warning sign.

Does anyone know what Gail's is up to? I really hope it's all good, that they just see the benefit of treating and paying staff well, but it almost feels like a front for something!

Sorry no answers but I was wondering that myself. They really do charge crazy prices for stale croissants.

Their coffee is rank as well and the Battersea branch is filthy. Definitely a lot of stuff stale, like the cheese straws. But what do I know- they are popular and always full when I go past. There’s branches in every gentrified area now.

Op have you posted about this before, it is very familiar!

somethings are nice but I think it's overrated. However people want to go there because it fits their "brand". Good they pay staff well though.

I don't think so, but I expect there are lots of young people hearing similar promises.

Definitely overrated and overpriced. Worst hot choc I’ve ever had, however, there are often queues on a weekend. I’ve noticed the expansion in London also. I think people go there because of the cachet and to make themselves feel posh rather than the produce being inherently great.

Agreed. I think there's also such a shortage of hospitality workers that they're having to pay a lot for good staff. We have two nearby and they are always heaving with massive queues out the door.

He's brought me coffee and cake home a few times. It all seems good to me, but I'm not paying!

I wouldn’t worry I can’t see what they’d be hiding

I don’t rate them, seem to be a place for flies on food in the one I’ve been in

OK, so MN hates them, but they're hugely popular in MC High Streets 😆

It's more the business side of things I was interested in.

I'm sure they are baked by private equity & have been going for a while so likely secure as anything can be.

www.baincapital.com/news/bain-capital-credit-and-its-industry-partners-invest-bread-holdings#:~:text=EBITDA%20Investments%2C%20the%20food%20ecosystem%20fund%20backed%20by%20Steven%20and,and%20foodtech%20sector%20category%20leaders.&text=Risk%20Capital%20Partners%20was%20co,businesses%20based%20in%20the%20UK.

I'm near a Gail's and have only been in a couple of times as too expensive.

But to be fair all similar sort of upmarket bakeries cost similar nearby.

I don't have a sweet tooth so I'm not actively avoiding it but the prices are too much for the items I would buy but can happily do without

If they were a bit cheaper I'd go in far more often for the rest of the family

The one DS works into is literally next door to Greggs and yet Gail's is always busy

They're great and I just had an order delivered from them an hour ago

I had a free range chicken Parmesan brioche roll for £6.70 (I rarely eat meat and only free range)

There's nowhere I can get a free range chicken anything apart from there - so I'm happy to pay almost £7 for a sandwich I eat every 2/3 weeks

Plus I bought eggs (Crackledown - they're great eggs - 6 for £3.50) and 2 cookies

Haven’t heard of it as I’m not close to a city
sounds like patisserie valerie
and most of them shut down!!

I enjoy one of their egg soufflé sliders for breakfast once in a while and some baked pastries are nice too. But I only go because it's one of the better places to meet friends locally, not because I love it

Their salads are lovely! I don't go often as can't afford to sadly. I have wondered how bakeries will fair during the cost of living crisis, but Gail's always seems to be busy tbf.

They are very popular where I live but a 3x salary increase seems a bit mad. Surely they'd have external applicants for such a big role.

Is there a cost of living crisis generally or is the real crisis the gap between the haves and have not?

I keep hearing about how many people are struggling but the crowds at the airports and busy restaurants would suggest many are not.

They seem to have identified him as someone with promise, but absolutely, if he's suitably qualified there's no need to pay quite so much.

They can afford to pay your son as they are a massive rip off. I went there with young DD prior to lockdown and it was about £12 for a coffee, a small juice and a really poor, stale pastry. I’ve not been back.

I don't think they're as new as you think they are - I've seen them around for 7-8 years now, even outside London. I agree that the quality is declining a bit, or at least the prices rising makes the food seem poor quality in comparison.

A colleague's daughter works for them (with no ambitions to stay at the company long term) and seems to be doing well - it's long hours in the morning though as far as I can tell.

If that was a common experience/reaction surely they wouldn't be able to afford to pay anyone anything.

The branches DS works at seem to be supported by regulars who are very regular, some twice a day!

I realise they're not brand new. About 15 years, I think, but 80 stores in 15 years is pretty rapid and nothing compared to the plans they have for the next 4.