It’s been another landmark year for food retailer Greggs which recently opened its 500th franchised outlet in the UK. The company’s newest store was unveiled last week in East Lothian, Scotland, and in partnership with forecourt operator MFG.
MFG – whose initials stand for Motor Fuel Group – is one of 16 franchise partners which Greggs works with across the UK. The 500th shop at Monktonhall is located at a petrol station just outside of Edinburgh, and close to the A1. This key milestone highlights the continued expansion of Greggs which opened 71 franchised units during 2023.
Through its partnership with MFG, Greggs has built a network of 84 shops, which are all trading at UK petrol stations. Many of MFG’s franchised shops are at roadside locations or in retail parks.
Malcolm Copland, Commercial Director at Greggs, said: “It wasn’t that long ago we marked our 400th franchise, so 500 is a huge milestone for us. This latest addition underscores the success of our franchise model.
“As we round off 2023, we’re pleased to be on track to meet our ambitious shop expansion targets for the year ahead.
“The relationships we’ve built over the years with our valued franchise partners have been critical in enabling us to accelerate our expansion plans. You can find us at key travel locations across the UK, making us even more accessible to customers.”
Franchise partners of Greggs, include: EG Group, Moto, MFG, Blakemore, Welcome Break, Park Garages, Compass, HKS, Falcon, Applegreen NI, SSP, Sodexo, Appleby Westward, Ascona and Rontec.
And Malcolm added: “Our franchise partners play an important role in providing access to restricted locations, such as motorway service areas, petrol stations, educational establishments and smaller high street convenience locations.”
About Greggs: The brand was founded in 1939 by John Gregg and has its head offices at Quorum Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne. Eight decades ago John delivered fresh eggs and yeast, by pushbike, to families in Newcastle but the company has since grown to become one of the most recognised food brands in the UK.
Nowadays, the popular food-on-the-go retailer has more than 2,300 shops nationwide, while employing approximately 28,000 people. In the 1960s, Greggs launched its first free ‘pie and peas supper’ for older residents in Gateshead, an initiative that is still in existence today.
The Greggs Breakfast Club was launched in 1999 to provide children with free wholesome food on school days. This initiative supports more than 50,000 children via its 800 UK Breakfast Clubs.
Greggs continue to specialise in freshly-made sandwiches and other savouries baked in local shop ovens. These popular products are now sold alongside freshly ground coffee, confectionery, as well as vegan items and low calorie food.
More recently, Greggs has formed a delivery partnership with Just Eat, enabling customers to order online. There is also a Click + Collect service with customers choosing a time and venue for collection. Greggs has launched an App that includes an enhanced loyalty proposition where customers can earn stamps and rewards across all menu categories.
