Cornish Bakery plots major UK expansion to over 400 sites

Cornish Bakery has unveiled plans to expand from 66 to more than 400 sites across the UK, with a focus on high street locations.

The bakery chain, which began in a Cornish fishing village, has previously targeted tourist hotspots, retail outlets, motorway services and event venues such as the NEC in Birmingham. 

It now aims to reach 411 UK sites following a scalability review and location planning strategy conducted with an independent consultancy.

To support the expansion, Cornish Bakery has appointed Jeremy Smith as its first property director. He brings over 30 years of experience in property acquisition and estate management, having previously worked at FatFace, where he oversaw store growth from 70 to 181 locations, and has held senior property roles at Crew Clothing, Mothercare and The Works.

In his new role, Smith will work alongside Finch to secure leasehold sites in the targeted locations.

Managing director, Mat Finch, said: “That’s where we see the real growth opportunity. The consultancy work has validated our belief that ‘bakery is the new coffee shop’ whilst confirming that there is a significant opportunity to grow Cornish Bakery across the UK. Customers are increasingly looking for food that isn’t wrapped in plastic, seeking something that is tasty and freshly baked every day.”

The company has reported 9% like-for-like growth since the start of 2025, as well as record Easter and May Bank Holiday trading. It was recently listed in the Interpath Top 100 Fast Growth index of UK retailers.

Cornish Bakery has also expanded its menu in recent months, with new products including an apple crumble scone, raspberry crème brûlée pastry, feta and pea tortilla, and a hazelnut pain au chocolat.