Gail's
British bakery and cafe chain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gail's is a British bakery and coffee shop chain. The first shop opened in Hampstead, London, in 2005. As of March 2025, there were 170 branches in the UK. In 2021, Bain Capital and EBITDA Investments acquired a majority stake.
- Gail Mejia
- Tom Molnar
(as of March 2025)
 | |
| Founded | 2005 |
|---|---|
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | London, England |
Number of locations | 170 (as of March 2025) |
| Website | gails |
History
Gail's was founded as a wholesale bakery in Hendon, London, by the baker Yael Mejia in the early 1990s, serving businesses in London.[1][2] Mejia was born in Britain and brought up in Israel.[3][4] In 2003, Tom Molnar and Ran Avidan bought half of the business.[2] The first Gail's cafe opened in Hampstead, London, in 2005.[5] The chain expanded with the rise of foodie culture.[5]
The private equity firm Risk Capital Partners invested in Gail's in 2011.[6] In 2021, Bain Capital, a private investment firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, and EBITDA Investments acquired a majority stake in Gail's from Risk Capital Partners. It valued Gail's at £200 million, with the British entrepreneur Luke Johnson retaining a 15% stake.[7] In 2024, Gail's won the Best Coffee Shop/Café Group award at the MCA Hospitality Awards.[8]
Locations
In 2021, all Gail's branches were within a 55-mile (90-kilometre) radius of its central bakery and kitchen in Hendon, London.[9] Gail's expanded to Altrincham, Chester, Didsbury, Knutsford, Manchester, and Wilmslow.[citation needed] There were 131 branches in the UK by August 2024, and 170 by March 2025.[5][10]
Molnar said Gail's sought to open cafes in areas with "thriving neighbourhoods with plenty of families" and that the typical customer had "average or above" income.[2] In the 2024 UK general election, the Liberal Democrats successfully targeted traditionally Conservative constituencies with middle-class and affluent voters who might frequent a Gail's. The Liberal Democrats used the question "Does it have a Gail's?" to identify areas where support could be won.[2]
Products
Gail's is an upmarket coffee shop chain that offers baked products including croissants and cinnamon buns. It uses packaging and branding designed to feel "authentic" and "local", and is associated with middle-class affluence.[2][11]
Gail's has launched various initiatives to reduce food waste, such as selling a sourdough loaf made partially from leftover bread.[12] It partnered with Neighbourly to distribute surplus food in 2023.[13]
In August 2024, Gail's attracted criticism on social media for selling its leftover "twice-baked" chocolate and almond croissants and its almond croissants for £1 more than its fresh croissants. Gail's markets its twice-baked pastries as part of the "Waste Not" range, with the objective being to combat food waste. Some users noted that almond croissants are typically made from old croissants.[11]
Opposition
Luke Johnson, who oversaw Gail's expansion and sale to Bain Capital, supported Brexit and criticised the COVID-19 lockdowns and net-zero initiatives, attracting boycotts against Gail's.[2] In August 2024, a petition objected to Gail’s opening in Walthamstow Village, although other residents welcomed it.[5]