Gloucestershire-based Janes Pantry has acquired “a number” of former Coughlans Bakery locations, with around 20 to 25 of the chain’s 31 sites set to reopen.
Coughlans ceased trading on 1 July after 89 years in business, making 170 members of staff redundant, with many notified by text message.
Vegan comedian and TV personality Romesh Ranganathan invested in the Crawley-based bakery chain last year, becoming a part-owner and board member. The move was linked to the business’s wide range of plant-based products and its connection to his hometown.
In a video posted to social media, managing director Sean Coughlan blamed the government’s decision to increase National Insurance contributions for employers in April last year as a key driver of the company’s demise, alongside high business rates.
Janes Pantry has said that former Coughlans Bakery staff will be invited to reapply for roles at the reopened locations.
The status of the remaining sites within the former Coughlans estate is said to be subject to “further discussions”.
It is understood that Ranganathan will not have any involvement in the revived Janes Pantry venture.
The firm first opened in Gloucester in 1971 and currently employs more than 100 members of staff across 12 locations. The acquisition marks the company’s first expansion outside Gloucestershire.
David Davies, chief executive of Janes Pantry, said: “Coughlans has been part of local life for generations. When shops close suddenly, the impact is felt by staff, loyal customers and the wider high street.
“Our job now is to move quickly but responsibly: reopen viable shops under the Janes name, welcome former Coughlans’ colleagues to reapply as we go, and bring the operating discipline of a heritage baker to a much-loved local bakery estate.”
