A bakery which supplies a variety of Scottish delis, cafes, restaurants and hotels is making a six figure investment in relocating to East Lothian’s largest serviced business campus.
Company Bakery stated that it has outgrown its current west Edinburgh premises and will move to Eskmills in Musselburgh.
The wholesaler, which produces more than 10,000 loaves and pastries a week, will be able to increase production at the 6,000 sq ft site. Staff numbers are also expected to increase from the current 26, as the business recruits locally to expand out of central Scotland.
It currently operates a pop up market from its existing premises near to Haymarket, but hopes to offer a more formal retail offering at Eskmills; pending planning approval.
Eskmills consists of 10 historic buildings and is located on the site of the former fishing net manufacturer J W Stuart. More than 500 people are employed on the office campus, working in tourism, tech, design, health, finance, land and property management, training and charities. Onsite facilities include a conference and events centre, a gym and Crolla’s Italian Kitchen.
Nicole Pyper, marketing manager at Eskmills, said: “The Ivanhoe building is a recent addition to the Eskmills estate and we think we have found the ideal tenant, as Company will be a focal point around which our community will thrive and grow.
“There is plenty of space for Company to grow their wholesale offering, but we are also delighted that they can provide a valued retail service to our existing tenants and the wider East Lothian community, and that we will play a part in their continuing success story.”
Company Bakery was founded in 2017 by four friends who shared the view that they could not source quality bread products they needed for their respective businesses. The owners include Amy and Duncan Findlater of Smith & Gertrude wine bars in Stockbridge and Portobello; chef Ben Reade, formerly of the Edinburgh Food Studio; and Hollie Love Reid, owner of Nice Times Bakery in Morrison Street and Lovecrumbs in West Port.
Findlater said: “We’ve been looking for over a year for the ideal spot where we can have more space and really set up for the long haul and we have found it at Eskmills.
“While we are predominantly a wholesale business, our market shop grew out of the Covid pandemic when restaurants were closed, but people still wanted to buy our products, so Eskmills gives us the chance to develop more of a front-facing customer brand.
“We hope that once the appropriate approvals are in place, that we can open a retail shop with an attractive café element to it.”
Company’s signature sourdough loaf has proved popular suppliers such as IJ Mellis, The Refillery and Root Down, as well as hospitality operators like The Balmoral, Gleneagles, Prestonfield House Hotel and the new Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh. Restaurant clients include Martin Wishart, The Witchery, Heron and Unalome.
The bakery also supplies the Drift restaurant in North Berwick and the Foraging Goat deli in Haddington, with almost all of Company’s flour sourced from East Lothian mills.
Findlater added: “Baking bread takes up a lot of room, but with the increased space available to us we can address the high demand for our range of French butter pastries and we may well have to employ extra pastry chefs who we hope to recruit locally.”
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