Danish bakery Ole & Steen scores success with bespoke buns tailored to customer preferences
Knocking Up the Dough: How Ole & Steen's Online Strategy Spiked Sales
Hey there! Let's talk about the tasty success tale of Ole & Steen, the beloved Danish bakery that's been gracing London's streets since 2008. This bad boy's got a secret sauce when it comes to keeping customers coming back for more - and that secret is their killer online delivery game.
Last year, Ole & Steen's sales shot up by a cool 5%, climbing to a whopping £36 million. That's pretty impressive considering they were already sitting pretty at £34 million the year before. Graham Hollinshead, UK managing director, gave the company's revamped strategy the pat on the back it deserved, saying they've solidified their status as London's favorite Danish bakery and coffee house.
Their strategy refresh included a slew of measures meant to pull in new clients and boost investment in their London production facility in Leyton. But the star of the show? The focus on delivering delicacies straight to your doorstep.
Ole & Steen expanded to not one, not two, but three delivery platforms last year, and introduced a swanky new web-based ordering portal for corporate clients. This move was like adding the cherry on top of a cinnamon social bun - it skyrocketed their chances of being the 19th most-ordered item on Deliveroo in the UK and Ireland!
The company's commitment to making life easy breezy for their customers has paid off in spades. With their loyalty app membership growing by a staggering 40% last year, it's clear that convenience is the name of the game. In fact, the last autumn months were some of their best trading weeks ever, with like-for-like sales up a whopping 17% in the fourth quarter.
So, what's the plan moving forward? The company is all set to keep that tradin' strong and capitalize on their efficiency gains throughout 2025. It ain't over till the fat Danish pastry sings, folks!
Fun Facts:
- Ole & Steen's cinnamon social bun was the 19th most-ordered item on Deliveroo last year.
- The company expanded to three delivery platforms in 2024.
- Loyalty app membership grew by a whopping 40% last year.
- Fourth-quarter like-for-like sales reportedly jumped 17% in 2024.
[Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Their focus on delivering food-and-drink products directly to customers, facilitated by the expansion to three delivery platforms, significantly contributed to Ole & Steen's 5% increase in sales and £36 million revenue last year. This move in their business strategy, along with the introduction of a web-based ordering portal for corporate clients, has solidified their popularity and boosted finance.
