Bread Ahead eyes Philippines as springboard to Southeast Asia
The London-based bakery will open 15 branches in the country.
Bread Ahead is banking on its “baked goods done properly” approach to capture the Southeast Asian market, starting with the Philippines.
The bakery chain has always focused on classic recipes with no over-complication or unnecessary flair, which has made it a hit in London, Bread Ahead founder Matthew Jones told QSR Media.
“I trained in the Michelin-starred culinary world during the 1990s, working under chefs who emphasised high-quality ingredients, simplicity, and knowing when to stop,” he said in an emailed reply to questions. “It was all about respecting the product and letting the natural flavours shine.”
Jones worked with renowned chefs like Shaun Hill, Simon Hopkinson, and John Torode, who have shaped Michelin-starred restaurants. He honed his craft at Bibendum, Pont de la Tour, and Quaglino’s, all of which were at the forefront of British gastronomy.
Bread Ahead first launched in 2013 when its flagship at Borough Market in London was so popular that it managed to sell 1,000 creme brulee doughnuts in a day. And that was just one flavour at that one shop.
Last year, the London-based bakery chain with 12 branches posted 40% sales growth across the business, with creme brulee doughnuts accounting for 15 percentage points of the growth, Jones said.
“We really hit the mark with this creation, and it quickly became a customer favourite,” he said. “Overall, the combination of innovative products and consistent quality drove our success throughout the year.”
Riding the success, Bread Ahead signed an exclusive franchise deal with Specialty Food Retailers, Inc. in November 2024. It plans to open 15 bakeries across the Philippines.
Specialty Food Retailers, Inc. is a unit of SSI Group, which is under Rustan Group of Companies, whose flagship brand is a chain of upmarket department stores in the Philippines. SSI also owns the franchise for Singapore-based healthy fast-food chain SaladStop!, American fast-casual chain Shake Shack, grain bowl brand Heybo, and gelato brand Venchi.
“It’s important to note that these aren’t just retail stores — they’re full bakeries with on-site production and our signature baking workshops,” Jones said. “We want to bring the complete Bread Ahead experience to the Philippines.”
The baking workshops are also one of Bread Ahead's unique ways of capturing the market.
In London, Bread Ahead is known for hosting workshops and giving customers a glimpse of the ins and outs of a bakery. These can range from intro classes and different types of baking techniques to pizza workshops and master classes, all done inside Bread Ahead’s bakeries. The workshop schedule is posted monthly, and customers can sign up for the classes through the bakery’s website.
“Everything we do is centred around high-quality food and experiential retail,” Jones said. “It’s this holistic approach —blending retail, baking, and education — that sets us apart from other premium bakery chains.”
The Philippines is just the first of the stops the brand is planning. Jones said they are also in talks with potential partners in South Korea and Taiwan.
Bread Ahead is finalising its location in New York. In the Middle East, it is planning to open five to eight branches across several countries, including Bahrain and Kuwait.
The company’s London expansion is also in the works, but the focus now is on vertical growth across existing markets, such as at Borough Market and Wembley, Jones said.
“We’re expanding the outdoor seating area at Wembley, doubling the size of the restaurant and adding 90 more covers,” he said. “At Borough Market, we continue to lead the way, reinforcing our position as a flagship destination.”
