Ground Bakery is on the Rise with Expansion Following Investment

A - Home Page B - Original Content Cardiff

Development Bank of Wales , 7th December 2022

The latest boulangerie and coffee house by Ground Bakery is now open as a take-out service on High Street, Cowbridge.

With sites already in Penarth and Pontcanna, this fast-growing business aims to bring a taste of French culture to the very best locations, with the new addition of the Cowbridge shop opening earlier in December.

First launched by chef Thomas Simmons and his wife Lois along with investors including Welsh rugby international George North and Emma Owen Davies of Barford Owen Davies in Cardiff in June 2021, Ground Bakery is backed by the Development Bank of Wales with three investments to date totalling £220,000 being used to fund fit-out costs. The fast-growth business also has a commercial bakery premises in Barry, supplying all three coffee houses, and a range of high-profile trade customers.

As a co-founder of Ground Bakery, Tom opened his first Welsh restaurant in early 2020. Also backed by the Development Bank of Wales, Thomas by Tom Simmons is just a stone’s throw from Ground Bakery’s first coffee house in Pontcanna.

Co-founder Tom Simmons said:

“We’re delighted to be bringing Ground Bakery to Cowbridge. Inspired by our love of good coffee, bread and pastries, Ground captures the very essence of French culture. We use only the highest quality organic ingredients combined with traditional artisan methods to produce our baked goods which range from classic favourites to our more experimental flavours.

“Our vision for Ground is a chain of welcoming artisanal boulangerie and speciality coffee houses located in the very best spots. With the help of the Development Bank, Pontcanna and Penarth have both got off to an excellent start, proving popular with the local community and visitors alike.

“We’ve got really exciting plans to grow with the potential of also offering baking classes and dine-in facilities. It was the team at the Development Bank that helped make Thomas happen and their continued support as our long-term funding partner is now also a major driving factor in the early success of Ground Bakery.”

Richard Jenkins of the Development Bank of Wales said:

“Boulangeries are an institution in France and the coffee culture continues to grow here in the UK. Tom, Lois, George, Emma and the other investors have combined the two to create a concept that offers something really special and creates jobs for local people. Ground Bakery has got real potential for growth as the team scales the business in South Wales – we’re keen to help make this happen hence our multiple rounds of funding.”

The £500 million Wales Flexible Investment Fund is financed by the Welsh Government and Development Bank of Wales. Loans, mezzanine finance and equity investment ranging from £25,000 to £10 million are available for Welsh businesses. Terms are up to 15 years.

Mae boulangerie a'r tŷ coffi diweddaraf gan Ground Bakery wedi agor gyda gwasanaeth pryd ar glud newydd ar y Stryd Fawr, yn Y Bont-faen.

Gyda safleoedd eisoes ym Mhenarth a Phontcanna, nod y busnes hwn sy’n tyfu’n gyflym yw dod â blas o ddiwylliant Ffrainc i’r lleoliadau gorau oll, gyda’r siop newydd Bont-faen wedi ei hagor yn gynharach yn Rhagfyr.

Fe’i lansiwyd gyntaf gan y cogydd Thomas Simmons a’i wraig Lois ynghyd â buddsoddwyr gan gynnwys y chwaraewr rygbi rhyngwladol Cymreig George North ac Emma Owen Davies o Barford Owen Davies yng Nghaerdydd ym mis Mehefin 2021, cefnogir Ground Bakery gan Fanc Datblygu Cymru gyda thri buddsoddiad hyd yma yn dod i gyfanswm o £ 220,000 sy’n cael ei ddefnyddio i ariannu costau dodrefnu. Mae gan y busnes twf cyflym hwn hefyd safle becws masnachol yn y Barri, sy’n cyflenwi’r tri thŷ coffi, ac amrywiaeth o gwsmeriaid masnach proffil uchel.

Fel cyd-sylfaenydd Ground Bakery, agorodd Tom ei fwyty Cymreig cyntaf yn gynnar yn 2020. Cafodd hwn hefyd gefnogaeth Banc Datblygu Cymru, ac mae lleoliad ‘Thomas gan Tom Simmons’ dafliad carreg o dŷ coffi cyntaf Ground Bakery ym Mhontcanna.

Meddai’r cyd-sylfaenydd Tom Simmons:

“Rydym yn falch iawn o ddod â Ground Bakery i’r Bont-faen. Wedi'i ysbrydoli gan ein cariad at goffi, bara a theisennau crwst da, mae Ground yn cyfleu hanfod diwylliant Ffrainc. Dim ond cynhwysion organig o’r ansawdd uchaf a ddefnyddiwn ynghyd â dulliau crefftwyr traddodiadol i gynhyrchu ein nwyddau wedi’u pobi sy’n amrywio o ffefrynnau clasurol i’n blasau mwy arbrofol.

“Ein gweledigaeth ar gyfer Ground yw cael cadwyn o boulangeries artisanal croesawgar a thai coffi arbenigol sydd wedi’u lleoli yn y lleoliadau gorau un. Gyda chymorth y Banc Datblygu, mae Pontcanna a Phenarth ill dau wedi cael dechreuad rhagorol, maen nhw’n boblogaidd ymhlith y gymuned leol ac ymwelwyr fel ei gilydd.

“Mae gennym ni gynlluniau cyffrous iawn i dyfu gyda'r potensial hefyd i gynnig dosbarthiadau pobi a chyfleusterau bwyta i mewn. Y tîm yn y Banc Datblygu a helpodd i wireddu Thomas ac mae eu cefnogaeth barhaus fel ein partner ariannu hir dymor bellach hefyd yn ffactor ysgogol mawr yn llwyddiant cynnar Ground Bakery.”

Dywedodd Richard Jenkins o Fanc Datblygu Cymru:

“Mae Boulangeries yn sefydliadau congl faen yn Ffrainc ac mae’r diwylliant coffi yn parhau i dyfu yma yn y DU. Mae Tom, Lois, George, Emma a’r buddsoddwyr eraill wedi cyfuno’r ddau i greu cysyniad sy’n cynnig rhywbeth arbennig iawn ac yn creu swyddi i bobl leol. Mae gan Ground Bakery botensial gwirioneddol i dyfu wrth i’r tîm gynyddu graddfa’r busnes yn Ne Cymru – rydym yn awyddus i helpu i wneud i hyn ddigwydd a dyna sut y digwyddodd ein cylchoedd ariannu lluosog.”

Ariennir Cronfa Buddsoddi Hyblyg Cymru gwerth £500 miliwn gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Banc Datblygu Cymru. Mae benthyciadau, cyllid mesanîn a buddsoddiad ecwiti sy’n amrywio o £25,000 i £10 miliwn ar gael i fusnesau Cymru. Mae'r telerau hyd at 15 mlynedd.