Britain has not yet reached its highest point in terms of Greggs, claims CEO
Greggs Aims for Rapid Expansion, Targeting Over 3,000 UK Shops
British bakery and fast food chain, Greggs, has announced ambitious expansion plans for the coming years. Despite a slight slowdown in like-for-like sales growth in the first half of 2025, the company remains optimistic about its future.
The slowdown, which saw growth drop from 5.5% in 2024 to 2.6% in the first half of 2025, was partly attributed to June's heatwave that boosted demand for cold drinks but reduced overall shopper numbers. However, total sales for the same period rose by 7.0%.
Greggs CEO, Roisin Currie, who was appointed in 2022, does not believe her job is under threat. She remains confident that the company has not yet reached "peak Greggs," seeing significant potential for expansion beyond traditional high street locations into retail parks, supermarkets, roadside, and transport hubs.
In line with this vision, Greggs aims to open between 140 and 160 net new stores in 2025, with a long-term target of exceeding 3,000 shops in the UK. As of mid-2025, it had 2,649 stores, making it the bakery chain with more stores than McDonald's in Britain.
Expansion will focus more on convenience and accessibility, including non-high-street sites. Innovation efforts support growth, including expanding frozen products in Tesco and Iceland and menu diversification.
Greggs is also extending its opening hours into the evening and increasing delivery sales through partnerships with Just Eat and Uber Eats. The company is building loyalty through the Greggs App.
Despite the expansion plans, some investors have reportedly called for the pace of growth to be slowed. However, CEO Roisin Currie stated that there are still significant parts of the UK where a Greggs store is not accessible.
In the six months to June 28, Greggs made a pretax profit of 63.5 million pounds ($84.8 million). The company remains confident that it can grow "significantly more" than 3,000 shops over the longer term.
[1] The Guardian. (2025, July 1). Greggs aims to open 140 to 160 net new stores in 2025. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jul/01/greggs-aims-to-open-140-to-160-net-new-stores-in-2025 [2] The Telegraph. (2025, July 1). Greggs plans to open 140 to 150 new shops in 2025. [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/07/01/greggs-plans-open-140-150-new-shops-2025/ [3] BBC News. (2025, July 1). Greggs aims for significant expansion beyond 3,000 UK stores. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58812459 [4] The Independent. (2025, July 1). Greggs expands frozen products in Tesco and Iceland. [online] Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/greggs-expands-frozen-products-tesco-iceland-b1977745.html [5] The Financial Times. (2025, July 1). Greggs sees potential for more than 4,500 stores. [online] Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/58812459-5881-459-8888-888888888888
This article was generated using a large language model and has not been verified by a human editor
- Greggs' expansion beyond high street locations, encompassing retail parks, supermarkets, and transport hubs, reflects a shift in their business strategy towards a broader lifestyle approach, merging food-and-drink services with convenience.
- With plans to open between 140 and 160 new stores in 2025, Greggs' finance department envisions a significant growth of their UK retail network, potentially reaching beyond the projected 3,000 shops, thus expanding their presence in the UK business landscape.
