Greggs is the largest bakery chain in the UK, famed for its sausage rolls.
Founded by John Gregg in 1939, the first shop opened in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, in 1951. Since the 1970s, the bakery began to acquire other regional bakery chains across the country, including acquiring its rival Bakers Oven in 1994.
Greggs now has close to 2,000 locations across the UK and employs around 22,000 employees.
Its best-selling product is the sausage roll, selling 2 million units a week. In January 2019, Greggs launched a vegan sausage roll to huge popularity and success, resulting in sales topping £1bn for the first time.
In 2013, Greggs started to transition out of the bakery market, instead targeting the ‘food on the go’ market that was accounting for 80% of its business. Having stores open earlier and close later meant it could target those going to and from work, and the company expanded its breakfast menu to suit consumers’ changing food habits.
It stopped selling bread in 2014 but started a loyalty scheme app called Greggs Rewards that same year. The company also sells bakes, melts and pasties through the supermarket chain Iceland.
Food delivery service Just Eat as reported a surge in sales and earnings after the coronavirus outbreak spurred demand.
Greggs has tumbled into the red after store closures sparked by the coronavirus pandemic hammered its top and bottom lines.
High street baking giant Greggs is set to reopen 800 of its stores for takeaway later this week, as it stalls on new store openings and discusses moves to monthly rent payments.
Greggs has postponed plans to reopen some of its stores next week amid fears that it could spark crowds at the chain’s outlets.
Department store business John Lewis is making plans to reopen stores next month as other retailers also move out of the coronavirus lockdown.
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