THE AUTHENTIC BREAD COMPANY LIMITED

What THE AUTHENTIC BREAD COMPANY LIMITED does

The Authentic Bread Company Limited is a family-owned organic artisan bakery founded in 1995 by Alan and Jane Davis in rural Gloucestershire, UK. Originally started as a microbakery from a converted family garage, the company has grown into a national wholesale supplier of Soil Association-certified organic bread, cakes, pastries, and chilled savory goods to UK retailers and brand owners. The current product portfolio spans more than 40 SKUs, including traditional loaves, bloomers, rolls, baguettes, sourdough, spelt, ciabatta, croissants, pain au chocolat, scones, flapjacks, and pasties, all produced using traditional hand-kneaded methods and natural fermentation without chemical improvers.

The business runs on a sales-led wholesale go-to-market with two distinct revenue streams: (1) national wholesale distribution of the company's own artisan products to retailers, and (2) bespoke product development and contract manufacturing for retailers and brands seeking to launch private-label organic bakery lines. The company operates from a purpose-built, BRC A Grade-accredited facility at Longhope Business Park — three times the size of its prior Strawberry Hill, Newent site, opened in June 2021 — with capacity expansion co-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The second generation of the Davis family (Alex, Emily, and Sophie) is now managing the business as founders Alan and Jane transition to semi-retirement, and the company is actively recruiting skilled artisan bakers, bakery assistants, and packing staff to support rising wholesale volumes. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated directly with trade customers.

Name

THE AUTHENTIC BREAD COMPANY LIMITED

Legal name

The Authentic Bread Company

Website

https://authenticbread.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Authentic Bread Company is a family-owned organic artisan bakery founded in 1995 in Gloucestershire, UK. It produces Soil Association-certified organic bread, cakes, and pastries using traditional hand-kneaded methods, distributing nationally to retailers and offering private-label manufacturing for brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Bakery Products

NAICS

Commercial Bakeries (311812), Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Bread & Rolls Manufacturing (AFAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Bakery Manufacturing (Gluten-Free, Artisan, Health-Focused) (AFAKAAAG), Premium/Artisanal Bakery Wholesale (AFAIAFAG), Private Label & Contract Bakery Wholesale (AFAIAFAK)

Keywords

• Organic artisan bread
• Wholesale bakery products
• Private label bakery
• Hand-kneaded bread
• Bespoke bakery manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Longhope

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Bread and Bakery Products: National wholesale distribution of artisan bread and baked goods to retailers. The company produces a wide range of products from traditional sliced white loaf to spiced buns, cheese scones, and specialty breads.
2. Bespoke Product Development and Manufacturing: Working with brands and retailers to develop and manufacture their own branded products. The company creates custom products for wholesale clients who want private label artisan bakery items.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Authentic Bread Company is a national wholesale artisan bakery that manufactures and distributes organic bread, cakes, pastries and chilled goods to retailers across the UK. It also develops and manufactures bespoke private-label bakery products for brands and retailers seeking their own artisan ranges. Production relies on traditional hand-kneading and natural fermentation without chemical improvers, with full ingredient traceability.

Product overview

The Authentic Bread Company is an artisan bakery offering a diverse portfolio of organic bread, cakes, pastries, and chilled goods. The core product lines include over 24 varieties of organic bread (loaves, bloomers, rolls, baguettes, specialty breads like sourdough, spelt, and ciabatta), 15 varieties of cakes and pastries (croissants, pain au chocolat, scones, flapjacks, cakes, and biscuits), and 2 chilled savory items (bean pasty and country pasty). The company also provides brand development and contract manufacturing services for retailers and brands seeking to create their own organic bakery products. All products are made using traditional hand-kneaded methods and organic ingredients, with full traceability from flour to finished product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organic Bread Range
• Organic Cakes & Pastries Range
• Organic Chilled Savoury Range
• Brand Development & Contract Manufacturing Service

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights9 records

Broad incumbents

• Warburtons: UK's largest branded bread manufacturer with national wholesale reach. Comparable channel and category, but a mass-market incumbent rather than a specialist organic/artisan producer.
• Hovis: Heritage UK bread brand with national wholesale and supermarket presence. Comparable UK bakery market participation, but mass-market positioning rather than organic/artisan niche.

Direct peers

• The Bertinet Bakery: Bath-based artisan bakery and baking school founded by chef Richard Bertinet, producing hand-crafted bread. Comparable UK artisan craft-baking brand with wholesale supply and a strong provenance/heritage story.
• Higgidy: Sussex-based hand-crafted baker producing pies, quiches and savoury baked goods for UK supermarkets. Comparable UK-based wholesale artisan bakery supplying national retailers with branded and own-label ranges.
• Gail's Bakery: UK artisan bakery chain with strong wholesale-to-retailer presence and an artisan/sourdough-led range. Comparable premium positioning in the UK organic and artisan bread category.
• Village Bakery (Wrexham): Family-owned Welsh wholesale bakery producing organic, traditional and free-range bread for UK retailers. Comparable multi-generational family operation with national wholesale distribution and organic credentials.
• E5 Bakehouse: London-based artisan bakery focused on sourdough and organic breads, with on-site milling and wholesale supply. Comparable organic, naturally-leavened artisan process at wholesale scale.
• Bread Ahead: London artisan bakery producing sourdough and baked goods for wholesale and own retail sites. Comparable UK artisan bakery with wholesale supply into retailers and a strong hand-craft positioning.
• The Bread Factory: One of the UK's largest specialist artisan wholesale bakeries, supplying major retailers and foodservice with sourdough, organic and continental bread. Directly comparable wholesale-led artisan model with national UK distribution.
• Hobbs House Bakery: Family-run UK artisan bakery founded in the Cotswolds producing organic and traditional bread at wholesale scale. Highly comparable multi-generational family model, organic credentials, and regional wholesale bakery positioning in the South West/West of England.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-authentic-bread-company-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 THE AUTHENTIC BREAD COMPANY LIMITED