The Big Bakes
The Big Bakes is a UK experiential hospitality company operating 90-minute themed baking events across five UK cities (London x2, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool), serving individual consumers and corporate clients through tickets, masterclasses, private hires, merchandise, and on-site F&B.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Big Bakes does
The Big Bakes is a UK-based experiential hospitality company that operates immersive 90-minute themed baking events in purpose-built tent venues across five UK cities: London (East and South), Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool. Each venue is configured with 12 baking stations where guests (typically in pairs, up to 24 per session) compete in a structured bake-off format with monthly rotating themes; private hires can accommodate up to 36 guests. Founded in 2017 by Adam and Eloise (former aviation events professionals), the company sells tickets directly through its website via DesignMyNight and FareHarbor integrations, with family tickets priced from £39.99 per person.
The core product is built around physical venues and frontline operational delivery rather than proprietary technology; the technology stack consists of third-party booking platforms and standard e-commerce. Around the core bake-off, the company has built a modular product surface: Masterclasses (relaxed daytime British baking classes), School Holiday Family Bakes (parent-and-child sessions), Team Building for corporate clients (8-80 guests), Hen Dos and Celebrations, Event/Film Hire (production and brand activations), a branded merchandise e-commerce shop, and gift vouchers. The company also runs on-site cake-themed cocktail bars and Pantry food service at venues, with London East operating a walk-in-accessible bar.
The business model is primarily transactional ticket revenue (consumer and corporate), supplemented by merchandise sales (£5.99–£19.99 unit pricing), on-site F&B, and bespoke private event packages. The Big Bakes serves a dual customer base of individual consumers (families, friends, couples, tourists, baking enthusiasts) and enterprise clients (Meta, Google, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, PwC, Disney, Tesco, NHS, Xero and others for team-building and brand activations). The company is privately held, founder-owned, with no disclosed external funding and is currently actively hiring across all five locations.
The Big Bakes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Big Bakes
- Legal name
- The Big Bakes Ltd
- Website
- https://thebigbakes.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Big Bakes is a UK experiential hospitality company operating 90-minute themed baking events across five UK cities (London x2, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool), serving individual consumers and corporate clients through tickets, masterclasses, private hires, merchandise, and on-site F&B.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Big Bakes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Experiential Baking Events
- NAICS
- Baked Goods Retailers (445291)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes (THAFAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Baking & Pastry Arts (EDAOAKAB), Bread & Artisan Baking (EDAOAKAC)
Keywords
Where The Big Bakes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
The Big Bakes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Baking Experience Tickets: 90-minute themed baking sessions where guests bake in pairs at 12 stations. Tickets booked through DesignMyNight and FareHarbor platforms. Sessions run evenings and weekends for public, with new themes monthly.
- Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise including aprons, t-shirts, tote bags, hats, cake slicers, and momento spoons. Products sold at fixed prices ranging from £5.99 to £19.99.
- Group/Private Bookings: Corporate team building events, hen dos, birthday celebrations, and event/film hire. Customizable packages with private spaces, bespoke quotes, and full site access available for weekday private bookings.
- Masterclasses: Relaxed daytime baking experiences teaching classic British baking skills. Booked through FareHarbor, available at all locations. Includes guided classes, step-by-step techniques, and complimentary tea with creations.
- Gift Vouchers: 90-minute bake off gift vouchers available for 2 or 4 people, sold through DesignMyNight. Redeemable across all locations within 365 days.
- Food & Beverage: On-site bar with cake-themed cocktails, light bites, and food available at venues. Bar open to walk-ins without booking requirement. Private event catering packages also available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Family Holiday Bakes - starting price point |
| Subscription | Annual | Assistant General Manager - London |
| Subscription | Annual | General Manager - Manchester |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Team Leader - hourly rates by location |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Events Host & Head Baker - hourly rates by location |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hospitality Assistant - hourly rates by location |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Official Big Bakes Teal Apron |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Official Big Bakes T-Shirt |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Official Big Bakes Tote Bag |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Embroidered Bakers Hat |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Official Rose Gold Cake Slicer |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Big Bakes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Big Bakes operates immersive 90-minute themed baking experiences across five UK cities, where guests bake in pairs at 12 stations in large tents. The company supports its core baking event offering with daytime Masterclasses, school holiday family baking sessions, branded merchandise, gift vouchers, and private event hire for corporate team building, hen dos, celebrations, and film/brand events. New monthly themes drive repeat visits, and all equipment and ingredients are provided so no prior baking experience is needed.
Product overview
The Big Bakes is a UK-based immersive baking experience company operating a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core product is the 90-minute themed baking event held in large tents across five UK cities (London East, London South, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool), where participants bake in pairs at 12 stations. Supporting modules include Masterclasses (relaxed daytime classes), group bookings (team building, hen dos, celebrations, event/film hire), an online shop selling branded merchandise, free online recipes, school holiday family bakes, and gift vouchers. The company positions itself as 'The UK's No.1 Baking Event' and serves both individual consumers and corporate clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MasterClasses: Relaxed, daytime baking experiences for visitors to the UK or baking enthusiasts. Includes classes like Classic Scones, Victoria Sponge, and Afternoon Tea.
Products and services
- The Big Bakes Baking Experience Immersive 90-minute themed baking events held in large tents with 12 baking stations, where participants bake in pairs. Each session features a new monthly baking theme and a competitive bake-off format with one winning team per session. Available at all five UK locations.
- Baking Masterclasses Relaxed, daytime guided baking classes covering British baking classics such as scones, Victoria sponge, and afternoon tea. Offered to UK visitors and baking enthusiasts seeking hands-on learning experiences, bookable through FareHarbor at all locations.
- Team Building Events Corporate team building packages for 8-80 guests, featuring competitive baking challenges, meeting spaces, food and drinks. Hosts events for companies including Meta, Google, PwC, Disney, Coca-Cola, Tesco, Deloitte, NHS, and Universal Music.
- Hen Do's Bachelorette party packages featuring private baking sessions for up to 24 participants, Bride Tribe aprons, and prosecco service in a celebratory setting.
- Celebrations Private event bookings for birthdays and family reunions, offering customizable baking experiences for group celebrations. All ages and dietary requirements welcome.
- Event / Film Hire Venue hire services for filming and private events, accommodating up to 36 guests with 12 baking stations plus a teaching station. Offers bespoke hire packages and private studio space for filming and brand activations.
- Official Big Bakes Shop E-commerce shop selling branded merchandise including aprons (teal, birthday, bride to be, bride tribe), t-shirts (official, legend, cake it easy), tote bags, embroidered baker hats, engraved momento spoons, and rose gold cake slicers. Prices range from £5.99 to £19.99.
- School Holiday Family Bakes Family-friendly holiday baking sessions designed for one adult and one child to bake together in pairs, featuring themed cakes and special events like Superhero Week and Summer Safari Cake. Priced from £39.99 per person.
- Gift Vouchers 90-minute bake-off gift vouchers available for 2 or 4 people, redeemable across all UK locations within 365 days. Sold through DesignMyNight.
Quantifiable outcome
- Highest rated events in cities where they operate
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Big Bakes
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The Big Bakes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Big Bakes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- AEGflagshipPartnership with AEG for use of professional baking equipment at events. Partners showcase products directly to 60,000+ engaged baking customers in live baking experiences in the venues.
- HomeprideflagshipPartnership with Homepride flour brand. Homepride logo appears in partner section indicating commercial relationship for product placement and brand collaboration.
- KenwoodflagshipPartnership with Kenwood kitchen appliances. Partners get to showcase their products to 60,000+ baking mad customers in live experiences.
- ColourmillcorePartnership with Colourmill for baking decorations and supplies. Part of the partner network using 'finest baking products' at events.
- Jane Dunn (Jane's Patisserie)flagshipBrand ambassador partnership with Jane Dunn, best-selling triple No.1 Sunday Times author of @JanesPatisserie. Special events and announcements planned through the partnership. Celebrity baking personality brings credibility and audience reach.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Big Bakes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Activate Games: UK/US immersive gaming and active entertainment venue operator — comparable as a competitor for group leisure and corporate event spend, though positioned around physical games rather than baking.
- Flight Club: UK experiential leisure operator (social darts venues) competing for the same group-leisure, corporate-team-building, and evening-out consumer occasions as The Big Bakes, though with a different core activity.
Broad incumbents
- Patisserie Valerie: UK-wide patisserie and cafe chain operating dozens of locations selling cakes, pastries, and light meals — broadly comparable as a multi-site UK cake/bakery consumer brand, though with limited experiential component.
- Gail's Bakery: UK bakery cafe chain with 100+ locations selling bread, pastries, and coffee — broadly comparable as a scaled UK bakery brand operator, though focused on retail/café rather than experiential events.
Direct peers
- Bertinet Kitchen: Bath-based baking and cookery school founded by baker Tom Herbert, offering in-person baking classes and corporate events — comparable as a UK baking-focused experiential education business targeting both consumers and groups.
- Bread Ahead: London-based bakery and baking school operating multiple locations combining retail bakery sales with hands-on baking classes — the closest model to The Big Bakes' experiential baking concept in the UK market.
- The Cooking Academy: London cookery school offering hands-on baking and cooking classes, team-building events, and private bookings for groups — closely aligned with The Big Bakes on corporate event offerings and small-group class format.
- Leiths School of Food and Wine: London cooking school offering professional culinary diplomas plus recreational baking and cooking classes — comparable as a UK experiential cooking education business with multiple course formats.
- Avenue Cookery School: London cooking school offering hands-on baking and cookery classes for groups, couples, and corporate clients — directly comparable in target customer (group leisure, corporate team building) and class-format delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Big Bakes social profiles
Digital presenceThe Big Bakes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Big Bakes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Big Bakes subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
The Big Bakes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Big Bakes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Big Bakes
What does The Big Bakes do?
The Big Bakes operates immersive 90-minute themed baking experiences across five UK cities, where guests bake in pairs at 12 stations in large tents. The company supports its core baking event offering with daytime Masterclasses, school holiday family baking sessions, branded merchandise, gift vouchers, and private event hire for corporate team building, hen dos, celebrations, and film/brand events. New monthly themes drive repeat visits, and all equipment and ingredients are provided so no prior baking experience is needed.
Is The Big Bakes a public or private company?
The Big Bakes is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Big Bakes founded?
The Big Bakes was founded in 2017. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Big Bakes based?
The Big Bakes is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Big Bakes make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Baking Experience Tickets are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales, group/Private Bookings, masterclasses, gift Vouchers and food & Beverage.
Who are The Big Bakes's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Activate Games and Flight Club. Broad incumbents are Patisserie Valerie and Gail's Bakery. Direct peers are Bertinet Kitchen, Bread Ahead, The Cooking Academy, Leiths School of Food and Wine and Avenue Cookery School.
Does The Big Bakes have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Big Bakes.
What industry is The Big Bakes in?
The Big Bakes's product category is Experiential Baking Events. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAFAC, Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes, with a secondary code of EDAOAKAB, Baking & Pastry Arts. Its NAICS code is 445291.