There isn't a single part of the Gail's model that is defendable - hedge fund ownership, staff exploitation and intentional driving out of independent bakeries
I completely sympathise with the migrant workers and appreciate the article - however, I strongly suspect many independent shops likely operate under similar if not worse conditions as well. And in fact in my day-to-day in London - I feel like I rarely see migrant workers in small indie cafes or bakeries - it’s usually hip young white staff to be honest...
And you can laugh at my tastebuds, but I really don’t think Gail’s is on the same level as other chains, their sandwiches and pastries are genuinely tasty and offer great quality for the convenience. They’re far from the typical egg sandwich fare. Honestly, I was blown away by their aubergine and mint sandwich, and I’ve yet to find a vegan option as good elsewhere. Many people I know feel reassured when they see a Gail’s because they trust the quality, whereas independent places can be hit or miss if you don't know the area
And I really can't stress enough independent doesn’t automatically mean high quality or ethical, and chains aren’t necessarily exploitative machines...if anything, exploitation is built into our modern economic systems. There’s definitely an important conversation to be had here around but I can't help but feel that all of this demonising Gail’s is not really leading us anywhere
Gails (and everything else Luke "the unrepentant capitalist" Johnson touches) is vile and everyone I know has been boycotting it for ages. Thanks so much for this excellent writing.
I do understand the use of some chains as shortcut signifiers of reliability, and lots of indies are rotten, too. There are plenty of signs of a good place if you're willing to do a tiny bit of research (a quick internet search) and a vibes test before you go in.
When something is expanding as fast and as obviously as Gail's it's pretty obvious that it's not just on the basis of a desire to take great products to a wider audience. One prime example is Macclesfield, where a large Gail's has opened up on a prime site in the town centre a few doors away from Flour, Water Salt, one of the best and nicest local bakeries in the UK. Happily when I was there, FWS was packed and Gail's was empty. Important thing to me is to try and identify a good independent and give it all the love and support you can.
What a fantastic piece. Thank you for doing proper journalism and laying this bare. For some time, I’ve noticed the demographic behind fast casual counters become more Indian. I assumed it was Brexit related but didn’t realise quite how interwoven it is with immigration policy. Thank you!
These sort of outfits all follow the same MO. Start off with a good product and an image of looking after their staff and being a part of their community. Next thing you know there is one in every street corner, the food is tired and generic and, most upsettingly, the staff look so unhappy and stressed. I’ve not been in one for nearly two years and won’t be going to one ever again. Short sighted profit driven management driving a business into the ground. Try and use independent coffee shops and bakeries if you can. Gail’s bread ain’t that good!
Many hospitality businesses operate this way now. I work near Pavilion bakery's main kitchen, and the majority of kitchen workers are Sri Lankan, which is worth investigating.
Great piece. Just wondering if anyone with a business brain can explain the Gail's question I don't understand: Built into the endless expansion model is the inevitability of big financial problems a few years down the line. When a huge proportion of the branches of Pizza Express and Patisserie Valerie closed down, the hedge-fund owners didn't seem to take any financial hit, which is why they are repeating the process with Gail's. How is this the case?
I don’t work in PE but the goal is usually to roll out a successful brand with loyal customers, improve efficiency (cut costs), therefore increasing profit, usually with a view to sell further down the line. Financial problems aren’t inevitable, but as we’ve seen in the past five years, trading circumstances can unexpectedly vastly change. Bain won’t be banking on Gail’s making a financial loss long term but short term losses are often tolerated when increasing market share (look at Uber)
To answer your question about why hedge funds don’t seem to take a financial hit when chains collapse — they just have too much money in the ether for this to have that much effect on their balance sheet.
Any PE guys reading this PLEASE correct me if I’m wrong !
Such an excellent article! We need to know that there’s so much structural misery behind our convenient coffees and hot food deliveries. This kind of reporting is worth the Vittles subscription fee.
Also, I haven’t patronised Gail’s since they were bought by Bain, one of the world’s most evil companies IMHO.
My decision only confirmed by this and the new knowledge thst they call workers “breadheads”.
This is an excellent piece of good journalism, and echo thanks for making it free to read. I’ve boycotted Gail’s for a while for a number of reasons, primarily because I thought it was still Israeli-owned (mistakenly, but is a rapacious PE company any better? It’s all part of the same morass of evil) and also because I just didn’t want to be ‘that’ person who goes to a faux artisanal bakery (fakery?) which tactically aims to undercut the hard work of true independents (which offer far better produce). This article has just substantiated my boycott and better informed it. Never going again, thanks so much for creating the awareness.
This is shocking and thank you for not putting it behind a paywall.
Now, this is what Substack is for 🙏🏻💕🍽️
There isn't a single part of the Gail's model that is defendable - hedge fund ownership, staff exploitation and intentional driving out of independent bakeries
I completely sympathise with the migrant workers and appreciate the article - however, I strongly suspect many independent shops likely operate under similar if not worse conditions as well. And in fact in my day-to-day in London - I feel like I rarely see migrant workers in small indie cafes or bakeries - it’s usually hip young white staff to be honest...
And you can laugh at my tastebuds, but I really don’t think Gail’s is on the same level as other chains, their sandwiches and pastries are genuinely tasty and offer great quality for the convenience. They’re far from the typical egg sandwich fare. Honestly, I was blown away by their aubergine and mint sandwich, and I’ve yet to find a vegan option as good elsewhere. Many people I know feel reassured when they see a Gail’s because they trust the quality, whereas independent places can be hit or miss if you don't know the area
And I really can't stress enough independent doesn’t automatically mean high quality or ethical, and chains aren’t necessarily exploitative machines...if anything, exploitation is built into our modern economic systems. There’s definitely an important conversation to be had here around but I can't help but feel that all of this demonising Gail’s is not really leading us anywhere
Gails (and everything else Luke "the unrepentant capitalist" Johnson touches) is vile and everyone I know has been boycotting it for ages. Thanks so much for this excellent writing.
So true. The reason why chains are so successful is that the average consumer will know what they’re going to get, and people like that.
E5 bakehouse staff recently unionised — indicating that there’s issues at trendy organic grain to bread bakeries too.
Late stage capitalism b capitalising I guess
I do understand the use of some chains as shortcut signifiers of reliability, and lots of indies are rotten, too. There are plenty of signs of a good place if you're willing to do a tiny bit of research (a quick internet search) and a vibes test before you go in.
When something is expanding as fast and as obviously as Gail's it's pretty obvious that it's not just on the basis of a desire to take great products to a wider audience. One prime example is Macclesfield, where a large Gail's has opened up on a prime site in the town centre a few doors away from Flour, Water Salt, one of the best and nicest local bakeries in the UK. Happily when I was there, FWS was packed and Gail's was empty. Important thing to me is to try and identify a good independent and give it all the love and support you can.
Hooooo, you blew the LID off this. Fuck Gail's.
Great article, albeit a grim tale that is as old as time
What a fantastic piece. Thank you for doing proper journalism and laying this bare. For some time, I’ve noticed the demographic behind fast casual counters become more Indian. I assumed it was Brexit related but didn’t realise quite how interwoven it is with immigration policy. Thank you!
These sort of outfits all follow the same MO. Start off with a good product and an image of looking after their staff and being a part of their community. Next thing you know there is one in every street corner, the food is tired and generic and, most upsettingly, the staff look so unhappy and stressed. I’ve not been in one for nearly two years and won’t be going to one ever again. Short sighted profit driven management driving a business into the ground. Try and use independent coffee shops and bakeries if you can. Gail’s bread ain’t that good!
It’s the retail equivalent of the enshittification of the internet.
Didn’t Luke Johnson buy and ruin Patisserie Valerie ?
...and pizza express (he was also chairman of the Almeida Theatre in Islington until 2024, which is still going)
Many hospitality businesses operate this way now. I work near Pavilion bakery's main kitchen, and the majority of kitchen workers are Sri Lankan, which is worth investigating.
Gail’s is nicknamed the Tory Greggs but judging from this excellent piece it would be more accurate to call it the Neo-Liberal Greggs.
I don’t go into Gail’s, and now I know why. I will stick to my local independents who I hope are better to work for.
This leaves a sour (dough) taste in the mouth
Great article, also imho applicable to every PE fuelled chain on (what’s left of) the British high street.
Great piece. Just wondering if anyone with a business brain can explain the Gail's question I don't understand: Built into the endless expansion model is the inevitability of big financial problems a few years down the line. When a huge proportion of the branches of Pizza Express and Patisserie Valerie closed down, the hedge-fund owners didn't seem to take any financial hit, which is why they are repeating the process with Gail's. How is this the case?
I don’t work in PE but the goal is usually to roll out a successful brand with loyal customers, improve efficiency (cut costs), therefore increasing profit, usually with a view to sell further down the line. Financial problems aren’t inevitable, but as we’ve seen in the past five years, trading circumstances can unexpectedly vastly change. Bain won’t be banking on Gail’s making a financial loss long term but short term losses are often tolerated when increasing market share (look at Uber)
To answer your question about why hedge funds don’t seem to take a financial hit when chains collapse — they just have too much money in the ether for this to have that much effect on their balance sheet.
Any PE guys reading this PLEASE correct me if I’m wrong !
Such an excellent article! We need to know that there’s so much structural misery behind our convenient coffees and hot food deliveries. This kind of reporting is worth the Vittles subscription fee.
Also, I haven’t patronised Gail’s since they were bought by Bain, one of the world’s most evil companies IMHO.
My decision only confirmed by this and the new knowledge thst they call workers “breadheads”.
This is an excellent piece of good journalism, and echo thanks for making it free to read. I’ve boycotted Gail’s for a while for a number of reasons, primarily because I thought it was still Israeli-owned (mistakenly, but is a rapacious PE company any better? It’s all part of the same morass of evil) and also because I just didn’t want to be ‘that’ person who goes to a faux artisanal bakery (fakery?) which tactically aims to undercut the hard work of true independents (which offer far better produce). This article has just substantiated my boycott and better informed it. Never going again, thanks so much for creating the awareness.