One of the city’s best-loved craft bakeries has just celebrated its 8th anniversary.
Pettigrew Bakeries has gone from strength to strength since opening its first site opposite Victoria Park, and now operates from three outposts across the Welsh capital, as well as trading at local farmers markets and operating as wholesale, too.
Pettigrew are one of the pioneers of craft Sourdough baking in Cardiff – opening long before the now numerous artisan bakeries found around the city. They bake what is commonly referred to as ‘real bread’ – bread which is made without processing aids, or any other additives; the antithesis to the processed, factory-produced bread found in our supermarkets.
Pettigrew founder David Le Masurier explained, “Our house Sourdough is our simplest, and most complex product. Simple in that our loaf is 100% Sourdough real bread, organic flour, water & salt. Complex in that our process takes over three days, and passes through at least three bakers’ skilled hands, and to achieve the consistency we are after takes true skill.”
And the proof is in the (bread) pudding – now in addition to their original site in Canton, they operate a second bakery & café on Moy Road in Roath, and a small bakery shop inside the historic Castle Arcade; the smaller site has recently undergone a full refurbishment, and now includes a small upstairs café with seating that overlooks the interior of the Victorian arcade.
As a result of this continued growth, Pettigrew Bakeries now employs 11 full and part-time bakers, and a total of 38 staff; independent bakeries often sustain more jobs per loaf, keep money circulating in local economies and keep local high streets alive.
Over the last few years, customers will have noticed an increase in the range of bakes available from Pettigrew, with more choice than ever before. Pettigrew’s growing range of patisserie, and their artisan entremet collection have also become a core part of the bakery business; this growth was acknowledged with friends, family and suppliers at a recent celebration event at the newly refurbished Castle Arcade shop & café.
Pettigrew Bakeries are also long-time members of Food Cardiff and have made and achieved a variety of pledges to help make Cardiff a more sustainable food city. From championing reuse and cutting down on single use plastics (find out more here), to sourcing from local suppliers and investing in local supply chains, buying from social enterprises, and tackling food waste by creating new products to use up surplus, offering unsold products to staff, and putting anything that’s left on the Too Good To Go App.
If you (or your business) are interested in making a pledge to will help Cardiff achieve Gold Sustainable Food Places status by the year 2024, find out more by signing up here.
For more information about Pettigrew Bakeries, visit:www.pettigrew-bakeries.co.uk.
For more information about Pettigrew Tearooms, visit: www.pettigrew-tearooms.co.uk.
