The independent bakery and baking school will open on Harpenden High Street in a 2,500sq ft space combining a bakery, baking school and all-day dining venue.
The new model will give long-standing members of Bread Ahead’s team the opportunity to move into ownership, with a share in the success of their bakery. The company says the initiative is designed to recognise employees who have invested their ‘time, talent and commitment’ in the business, while creating experienced operators with ‘genuine roots in their local communities.”
Harpenden will be the first Bread Ahead bakery to operate under the new model. The site will offer Bread Ahead’s artisan breads, pastries and doughnuts, as well as breakfast and brunch. It will also feature a dedicated baking classroom upstairs, with workshops planned from January 2027.
The Harpenden bakery will also host local community initiatives and children’s baking activities during October half term.
Bread Ahead was founded at Borough Market in 2013 and has since expanded into seven London locations, including South Kensington, Wembley and King’s Cross. The brand also has sites in the US, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Thailand and the Philippines.
Bread Ahead Academy combines classroom learning with hands-on bakery experience to train aspiring professional bakers. The company also runs its Future Bakers Project, which aims to teach one million young people to bake for free over the next decade through community-based sessions and online learning.