The Bread Factory

The Bread Factory was introduced to Booths in 2022 when buyer Keith Parkinson was on the hunt for a committed, quality, artisanal bread partner to introduce to the bakery department. Keith explored the bread world for the best he could find, and it was award winners The Bread Factory that triumphed and can now be found in all Booths stores.

Established in 1993, The Bread Factory founder Gail decided to turn back the clock on industrialised baking practices and bake bread as it used to be baked: by hand, using quality ingredients and time-worn artisanal methods. Over the 25 years that followed, the main technology has remained in the hands of the bakers, and The Bread Factory has stayed committed to using long-tested artisan methods in order to bake on a large scale while remaining uncompromising on quality.

Their mission is to be a credible voice for craft and make great baking accessible to everyone. This is showcased through the exceptional products that can be found on Booths shelves:

• Brioche Tin 400g
• Pumpernickel Tin 400g
• San Francisco 500g
• Sanetra Sourdough 500g
• Potato & Rosemary Sourdough  500g
• Poppy & Rye Sourdough 500g
• Mixed Olive Sourdough 280g
• Focaccia Tin 400g
• Ciabatta 400g

When asked his favourite product, Booths Bakery buyer Keith, said “It is hard to pick a favourite from the range as they offer such a breadth of options – Pumpernickel is an amazing option for breakfast but I would have to say the Rosemary and Potato sourdough is my favourite  – a wonderful addition to many of my favourite meals and I love it toasted with a little bit on honey on”.

The Bread Factory is proudly a values-led business. All their staff undergo an induction and immersive welcome day when they join the company, and from the start they are introduced to their core values— People, Passion, Quality, Innovation, Service and Care. They have worked tirelessly to ensure their business practices align with their values, and that their people are engaged with and live these values daily. These six values not only have helped people join the industry, but it is also an important way for them to preserve their craft.

This commitment and ambition has led to countless awards, including 30 Great Taste Awards and in 2016 they received the Royal Warrant. The Royal Warrant of Appointment is granted as a mark of recognition to companies who have regularly supplied goods or services to HM The Queen, HRH The Prince of Wales or their Households.
More recently in 2021, they came second at the Baking Industry Awards for Craft Bakery of the Year Award and in 2022 they were awarded the prestigious Growth Partner Award at the Brakes/Sysco annual supplier conference in Brighton. This award recognises The Bread Factory’s commitment to quality and innovation, allowing Brakes to be the first to the market with their hugely successful vegan burger bun.

The Bread Factory share,

“We are incredibly proud of what we do, never compromising tradition or quality and always standing by our mission: serving better quality product to more people.
We understand that we are in a relationship with our community, and it is our duty to care. We place a strong emphasis on engaging our community stakeholders and are always looking and listening for new ways we can support and contribute. We have a long-standing commitment to give back to society and have identified supporting charities as a primary focus”.

These charities include care homes and sheltered accommodation, which led them to be recognized by Magnolia Court Care home during their volunteer appreciation week for the support The Bread Factory had offered them. The Bread Factory also teamed up with UNITAS – Onside Youth Zone, One Stone Grove, Barnet Women’s Group, Burnt Oak Food Bank, The Grub Club Brent, The Emergency Food Bank at Ansar Youth Project (AYP) and The Felix Project… to name a few. Overall, supplying hundreds of loaves weekly to their communities.