secretstalks
Chief Executive Officer Tom Molnar of Gail’s Bakery has had a mixed ride. Having grown up in Florida, he attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire to study aquatic ecology before working for the massive food company Cargill for nearly ten years in energy trading. In 1998, he left to pursue an MBA at the French business school INSEAD and became employed at McKinsey, a management consulting firm.
Molnar and associate Ran Avidan decided to open a bakery in 2005. To launch the first Gail’s Artisan Bakery on Hampstead High Street in northwest London in 2006, they teamed up with Gail Mejia at the Bread Factory, which provided top chefs. Based on its latest financial statements, the chain boasts over 100 locations and generates £135 million in revenue annually.
What’s your secret sauce?
Every business has its own unique formula for success, which I consider the “secret sauce.” In reality, there’s no secret; it’s visible in our daily efforts. We’re a craft bakery, and the core of our success lies in the dedication of our people. When I first met Gail and got involved in the bakery, I was captivated by this commitment. It’s all about caring deeply about the inputs, the daily work, and the final product. And it’s a commitment we renew every single day.
How do you keep that going?
We are more makers than sellers. Thus, our priorities are compassion, progress, and embracing complexity. You acknowledge the complexity involved in doing something correctly, such as choosing the ideal tomato, flour, or fermentation duration. To obtain something unusual, you must acknowledge that those are difficult decisions.
How important are people?
One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced while growing is ensuring we’re educating our team along the way. Our selection process is thorough, but we also allow space for people to make mistakes, innovate, and improve things. I’m not a fan of rigid rule books.
Instead, I believe in fostering a culture that says, ‘You’re a human being who cares. With an education and a wide range of experiences, apply them to your daily work.
How do you engage with the community surrounding your outlets?
We are a very “neighborhoody”’;” bakery; you don’t send a loaf of bread across the globe. You must be concerned for the community. Every day, we make fresh bread. If there are any leftovers, we send the food to a partner so that it can help those who are struggling. There’s no justification for wasting nutritious food. Everyone has experienced hardship in the past; thus, it is our duty to support those who are experiencing it. It is quite basic.
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