The South London bakery rivalling Greggs with 31 branches fans say is '10x better'
Greggs may be the best known and most beloved bakery on the British high street, but a rival could be looking to nab the top spot. Coughlans Bakery, found across the South East including some parts of South London, is causing a stir with fans raving about their baked goodies.
Founded in Croydon 87 years ago, the chain currently has 31 shops throughout London, Surrey, Kent, and East Sussex, particularly gaining momentum in recent years.
TV personality Romesh Ranganathan recently made headlines by investing in Coughlans, raising its profile as a potential top bakery contender. According to the company's director Sean Coughlan, Ranganathan plans to be actively involved in Coughlan's expansion.
He said: “Romesh wants to be hugely involved. This isn't something that he wants to sit on the sidelines for. He's going to be doing shifts in the stores, doing stuff in the bakery as well, and we’re going to document a lot of it.”
The chain has launched a new site in Crawley with Ranganathan's help, as well as adding the vegan 'Ranga Yum Yum' -named after the comedian - to their permanent menu.
Coughlans' charm has not gone unnoticed on social platforms, with customers raving about their pastries, cakes and sausage rolls. One social media user exclaimed it's "10x better" than Greggs, while another has declared: "Finally had a Coughlans bakery sausage roll and they are definitely better than Greggs." A third chimed in, posting: "Totally agree! They're delicious."
Despite this surge, Coughlans still isn't operating non-stop production like Greggs. However, with an expansion from 19 to 31 stores within four short years and plans to franchise even more under the guidance of Ranganathan, Coughlans could become the next high street staple, reports the Express.
Both bakeries heated up the competition when they simultaneously launched similar vegan products—the vegan sausage roll and shortly after, the vegan steak bake.
Fans of baked goods at MyLondon undertook a taste test to settle the debate once and for all on which bakery reigns supreme. The Greggs vegan steak bake review was less than favourable: "It wasn't chunky like a steak bake should be. I would call it more of a mince pasty. I'm glad I tried it. I'm also glad I didn't queue for hours to wait for one," giving it a mediocre 3 out of 5 rating.
In contrast, Coughlans' vegan bake exceeded expectations: "It tasted, smelled and felt like I was eating real chunky beef when I bit into it. The seitan steak was chubby and juicy, the hot gravy rich and silky and the mushrooms were a fantastic extra," earning a superior 4 out of 5 rating.
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