When the hospitality sector shut down on march 20th Birgit Gunz’s business, Frankonia the Bread House, dropped as swiftly as loaf that left the oven too quickly. I can’t imagine Birgit ever making this mistake – so I am sure the PM’s announcement must have come, as it did so all of us, as a terrible shock.
Her high-end bakery Surbiton-based business had taken many years to build up and her client list was exceptional. Birgit supplied the Ritz, the London Hilton Park Lane, the House of Lords and the House of Commons in addition to private clients who place a very high premium on their daily bread.
But despite the breath-taking speed with which business activity more or less ended, Birgit acted swiftly and within days she transformed Frankonia the Bread House into a home delivery service offering a range of products that are second to none. It is providing the public with home deliveries of its top quality slowly fermented sourdoughs, pretzels plus a range of other fabulous breakfast goodies and cakes.
Top of my list – just for sheer a wow factor are the giant pretzels. They are stunning to look at and to eat. A perfect gift for a foodie friend. The large sourdough loaf one of the best I have tasted with a perfect, open texture and the chocolate biscuits have been pronounced winners by my family who can eat them faster than we can order them.
Birgit originally established Frankonia as a small bakery and shop in Wimbledon back in 1998. She relocated her business to Surbiton a few years later, when its reputation grew and business from the country’s premier addresses started to flood in.
“When the hospitality industry effectively ‘stopped’ on March 20 my business fell apart,” said Birgit, “From supplying London’s and the UK’s five-star market with our breads, brioche and pastries, we suddenly had no customers!
“My bakery operates 365 days a year and with more than 20 years of experience I was proud to have a loyal, talented staff, many of whom I didn’t want to lay off or furlough. We started with a small take-away shop at the bakery, but word soon spread, and we are now really busy with requests to deliver – we currently cover an approximate 10-mile radius of postcodes.”
With a minimum order of £17.50 including delivery, free delivery on all orders over £30, word is spreading fast and Frankonia will soon be back working at full tilt. Full information and information on delivery areas is on the website
