Against the backdrop of the Second World War, an empire was slowly being built – out of eggs and yeast.
John Gregg set out on his pushbike in Newcastle in 1939 to deliver his fresh ingredients to local families. His enterprise survived the conflict and rationing, flourishing enough to allow him to open his own store in 1951, Greggs of Gosforth, which still stands today.
From there, the rise to a baked-good behemoth has reshaped the high street and left many bakers fighting for the crumbs from the table.
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— Greggs (@GreggsOfficial) July 18, 2018
The journey from that one store up to the 1,900-plus on the streets of the UK began in earnest with John’s sons Ian and Colin, who aggressively expanded by buying bakery chains in Scotland, Manchester, Yorkshire and more in the 1960s.
The tactic worked – there’s now a Greggs for every 34,500 people in the UK and it provides a job for 22,000 people.