A BAKERY which supplies some of Scotland’s leading delis, cafes, restaurants and hotels is making a six figure investment in relocating to East Lothian’s largest serviced business campus.
Wholesale supplier of breads and pastries to respected cheesemonger I J Mellis and a raft of highly-rated foodie institutions, Company Bakery will become a key focal point at Eskmills in Musselburgh.
The award winning bakery has outgrown its current west Edinburgh premises and will put down new roots at the thriving business campus which is home to more than 70 businesses, including high growth Nasdaq-listed microchip developer Allegro, cutting edge online education pioneer IDI, and award winning wedding and event company Hickory.
Company Bakery, which produces more than 10,000 loaves and pastries a week, will be able to increase production at the 6,000 sq ft site – with staff numbers expected to increase from the current 26 as the business recruits locally to expand out of its central Scotland stronghold.
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Centred around a picturesque courtyard, Eskmills consists of 10 historic buildings and is located on the site of the former fishing net manufacturer J W Stuart. More than 500 people are employed on the modern office campus working in tourism, tech, design, health, finance, land and property management, training and charities, and onsite facilities include a conference and events centre, a gym, and the popular restaurant Crolla’s Italian Kitchen.
Eskmills is located close to the Edinburgh City Bypass which will allow Company Bakery to develop new delivery routes, while the combination of a growing food scene and an upsurge in new housing developments across East Lothian were additional factors in the relocation.
The highly regarded bakery business – which operates a “pop up” market from its current premises near to Haymarket – hopes to offer a more formal retail offering at Eskmills pending planning approval.
Nicole Pyper, Marketing Manager at Eskmills, said: “The Ivanhoe building is a recent addition to the Eskmills estate and we think we have found the ideal tenant as Company will be a focal point around which our community will thrive and grow.
“We are very excited that such a premium hospitality sector supplier is joining us at Eskmills and Company will not only introduce the very best bread, pastries and coffee, but will be a touchpoint for encouraging a culture and creating conversations in our talented business community.
“There is plenty of space for Company to grow their wholesale offering, but we are also delighted that they can provide a valued retail service to our existing tenants and the wider East Lothian community, and that we will play a part in their continuing success story.”
Company Bakery was founded in 2017 by four friends who shared the view that they could not source quality bread products they needed for their respective businesses. The owners include Amy and Duncan Findlater of Smith & Gertrude wine bars in Stockbridge and Portobello; chef Ben Reade, formerly of the Edinburgh Food Studio; and Hollie Love Reid, owner of Nice Times Bakery in Morrison Street and Lovecrumbs in West Port, both Edinburgh.
Amy Findlater said: “We’ve been looking for over a year for the ideal spot where we can have more space and really set up for the long haul and we have found it at Eskmills. It’s important for us to be an active part of the community and to be accessible to trade and retail customers and we are confident we can replicate what we have achieved in Edinburgh at our new home in Musselburgh.
“While we are predominantly a wholesale business, our market shop grew out of the Covid pandemic when restaurants were closed, but people still wanted to buy our products, so Eskmills gives us the chance to develop more of a front-facing customer brand. We hope that once the appropriate approvals are in place, that we can open a retail shop with an attractive café element to it.”
Company’s signature sourdough loaf has proved a hit with established delis and suppliers such as IJ Mellis, The Refillery, and Root Down as well as premium hospitality operators like The Balmoral, Gleneagles, Prestonfield House Hotel, and the new Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh. Restaurant clients include Martin Wishart, The Witchery, Heron, and Graeme Cheevers’ Michelin-starred Unalome in Glasgow.
The bakery also supplies the popular Drift restaurant in North Berwick and the Foraging Goat deli in Haddington, and local connections are important with almost all of Company’s flour sourced from East Lothian mills.
Amy added: “Moving to East Lothian not only opens up more logistical options which will help grow the business but it gives us access to a different pocket of customers who are part of the area’s bustling food scene.
“Baking bread takes up a lot of room but with the increased space available to us we can address the high demand for our range of French butter pastries and we may well have to employ extra pastry chefs who we hope to recruit locally.
“This move will open a lot of doors for us and our new home in Musselburgh is also easily accessible for our very loyal Edinburgh clients, who we hope will keep visiting or will make use of our home delivery options.”
