‘WE EMBRACED THE CHANGES OF 2020’
It’s been a tough year for everyone. We’ve had to adapt to new ways of living and become stronger and more resilient than ever. Three women share the lessons they’ve learned from the months in lockdown
Three inspiring women on what they learned in lockdown
‘Giving up is not in my vocabulary’ When Birgit Gunz’s successful baking business began to lose its clients, she got creative and adapted to the changes.
I was determined not to let my business fail
My mum was a fantastic cook and growing up in Franconia in south Germany, I remember how the house would always be filled with the fresh aromas of mixed spice cookies. My brother and I would clamber on to a stool alongside her, because we weren’t tall enough to reach the kitchen counter, and would race to see who could finish their baking first. I remember thinking that it would be fun to open my own bakery one day.
At 19, I moved to London, where I began working as a broker in the financial market. I did this for 11 years, and later met my husband, Kevin. Despite being very successful, I was unhappy. My love for baking hadn’t disappeared; I had a freezer filled with rye breads and sourdough from whenever I’d gone back to Germany. So, in 1998, I took a leap and opened my own bakery, Frankonia The Bread House, in Wimbledon, south-west London.
IN DEMAND
I had my own French pastry chef and German baker, and we made the most amazing breads and delicious cakes. Chefs and restaurant owners began asking if I would supply them. Eventually, demand got so high that I had to open industrial premises in Surbiton. I closed my shop to focus on wholesale, supplying bread to clients all over London, including the House of Lords and House of Commons, The Ritz and many private members’ clubs.
But, in the middle of March (a week before lockdown), business went into free fall. Clients started calling up to cancel their orders, because they’d all had to shut. I had to furlough 20 of my 30 staff and we went from producing 18,000 items a day to just 200. I couldn’t believe what was happening, but giving up is not in my vocabulary and I was determined not to let my business fail. I’d worked so hard to build it.
I sat in my office thinking about how I could save my business. People still needed to buy bread, so I thought maybe I could open a shop. I just didn’t know where. Then, I realised that I could do it right here; in the loading bay in Surbiton.
I quickly got to work designing some basic leaflets. I printed thousands of them and gave them to my drivers to deliver. My remaining staff and I got some tables out of storage and lined them up ready to fill with different breads, Danish pastries and croissants. The following morning, as I arrived at work, I was met by a 70m-long queue, which snaked around my building – I couldn’t believe it!
POSITIVE OUTLOOK
Although the on-site shop took off like a rocket, I knew this wasn’t enough and that I needed to think of new ways to get my product out there. So, I redesigned my website and, three weeks later, launched my first home delivery service. I realised I could never go back to just doing wholesale again. I knew I had a product that people ate every day; I just needed to find a way for it to reach them.
I’d always wanted a shop in Hastings, as Kevin and I spend a lot of time there, so I decided to rent a small kiosk on the pier for the summer. I trained a lovely local couple, who had been furloughed from their jobs, to run it, and there was so much positive energy being by the sea. Even though it will be closing soon, I built up a loyal customer base (Hastings is full of foodies), so I’ll be back next year, and it has confirmed my decision to open a shop there in the future.
Some clients have returned, such as The Ritz and Fortnum & Mason, but I can’t just rely on wholesale. I’ve kept my on-site shop at the industrial premises and opened a concession at Planters Farm Shop in Hurst Green, East Sussex. I’m planning to roll out home deliveries nationwide, too. What I’m most proud of is that we’ve never stopped baking throughout this year’s events, because we’ve learned to change with the times; that’s what every business has to do. Five of my furloughed staff have returned; I hope to have everyone back by December. I may not be bringing in the same amount of money, but I know that I now have a better company than I had before.
frankonia.co.uk; frankoniahastings.co.uk