Simmons (Bakers)

What Simmons (Bakers) does

Simmons (Bakers) Ltd is an independent, privately-held bakery operating in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Founded in 1838, the company runs a network of 44 retail bakery sites across Hertfordshire, with a centralised production bakery in Hatfield and supplemental in-store baking at its shops. Its product range consists of freshly baked bread and loaves, cakes (including Chocolate Fudge and Carrot), buns and pastries, and sandwiches, all manufactured locally under a stated promise that nothing travels more than 25 miles from oven to shelf.

The business operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer model: walk-in retail at the 44 storefronts is the primary channel, supplemented by a Click & Collect online ordering service that allows customers to place personalised cake and product orders via the company website for next-day pickup at any store. The company employs between 251 and 500 people, is subject to UK Gender Pay Gap reporting, and markets through Facebook, Instagram, and its own website. There is no disclosed wholesale, franchise, or B2B contract layer, and revenue figures, pricing tiers, and ownership details beyond the private limited company structure are not publicly available.

The underlying technology is traditional bakery production — centralised baking at the Hatfield facility combined with in-store finishing — with a basic e-commerce front-end for Click & Collect ordering. There is no indication of proprietary technology, automation, or data-driven platforms in the source material.

Name

Simmons (Bakers)

Legal name

Simmons (Bakers) Ltd

Website

https://simmonsbakers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1838

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Simmons (Bakers) Ltd is an independent UK bakery founded in 1838, operating 44 retail stores across Hertfordshire. It produces and sells fresh bread, cakes, buns, and sandwiches, with centralised production in Hatfield and a Click & Collect online ordering service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Bakery

NAICS

Retail Bakeries (311811), Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181), Baked Goods Retailers (445291)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Bakeries (Bread & Daily Bakery) (THAFAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

In-Store / Supermarket Bakeries (THAFAFAE), Bread & Pastry Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAC)

Keywords

• Fresh bread
• Retail bakery
• Cakes and pastries
• Artisanal baked goods
• Sandwich catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Hatfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Simmons (Bakers) operates a chain of 44 retail bakery shops across Hertfordshire, UK, manufacturing and selling freshly baked bread, cakes, buns, pastries, and sandwiches. Established in 1838, the bakery produces all products locally either in individual stores or at its central Hatfield bakery, with the principle that nothing travels more than 25 miles from oven to shelf. The company also offers a Click & Collect online ordering service with next-day store pickup.

Product overview

Simmons (Bakers) is a traditional independent bakery established in 1838, operating as a single-product bakery with an associated Click & Collect online ordering service. The core products include freshly baked bread, cakes, buns, and sandwiches, all made locally in Hertfordshire either in-store or at their Hatfield bakery. With 44 retail sites across Hertfordshire, their offerings are unified under the Simmons brand with no modular product architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Bread and Loaves A variety of freshly baked bread and loaves made daily in-store or at the Hatfield bakery, with nothing travelling more than 25 miles from oven to shelf. Sold to walk-in retail customers across Hertfordshire.
• Cakes Freshly made cakes including Chocolate Fudge Cake and Carrot Cake, available in-store and through Click & Collect with the option to add personal messages. Targeted at individual consumers for celebrations and everyday enjoyment.
• Buns and Pastries An assortment of freshly baked buns and pastries made daily in Hertfordshire, sold at the company's 44 retail locations.
• Sandwiches Freshly prepared sandwiches made and served by local people at Simmons Bakers' stores across Hertfordshire, including Classic Sandwich platters for buffets and individual portions.
• Click & Collect An online ordering service allowing customers to order products such as Chocolate Fudge Cake and Carrot Cake with personalised messages, for next-day pickup at any of the 44 Simmons stores. Orders must be placed before 2pm.

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Greggs: UK's largest bakery-on-the-go chain with ~2,500 stores. Comparable to Simmons in core product range (bread, sandwiches, cakes) and foodservice retail model, but operates nationally at industrial scale with significantly lower price points.
• Warburtons: UK's largest bread manufacturer and family-owned bakery business. Comparable on bakery product categories and family-owned private company structure, but operates nationally through grocery distribution rather than retail storefronts.
• Hovis: Iconic UK bread brand and large-scale commercial bakery. Comparable as a UK bread manufacturer and competitor for consumer bakery spend, though distributed primarily through supermarkets rather than own retail.
• Pret a Manger: UK sandwich and bakery chain with strong own-brand identity. Comparable on retail store model, fresh daily production, and sandwich/bakery crossover category, but operates nationally and at higher price points with broader menu.

Direct peers

• Cooplands Bakery: Regional UK bakery chain operating ~170 stores across Yorkshire and the North East, producing bread, cakes and sandwiches in-house. Closest direct peer to Simmons in terms of regional retail bakery chain model and in-store production approach.
• Gail's Bakery: Artisan bakery chain in London and South East with ~100 stores, focused on craft bread, pastries, and cakes. Comparable to Simmons on local premium positioning, in-store baking, and retail bakery chain structure, though larger and urban-focused.
• Bread Ahead: London-based artisan bakery and baking school producing sourdough, pastries and cakes with both retail and wholesale channels. Comparable on craft bakery positioning and in-house production, though London-centric and more foodie-led.

Regional players

• West Cornwall Pasty Co. UK regional bakery chain specializing in savory baked goods. Comparable as a multi-site UK bakery retail chain with central production, but with a different product focus (savory pasties) and a different regional base.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/simmonsbakers
• Instagraminstagram.com/simmonsbakers/?hl=en
• Xx.com/simmonsbakers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Simmons (Bakers)