Birds Bakery
A long-established bakery chain founded in Derby in 1919 and operating retail shops across the English Midlands.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Birds Bakery is a family-founded bakery chain based in Derby, England. The business began in 1919 when brothers Frank, Thomas and Reginald Bird purchased Peach's bakery and pork butchers on Upper Dale Road. From that initial Derby site, Birds developed into a regional retail bakery business serving customers primarily across the Midlands. The chain's early growth was based on adding local shops rather than immediately pursuing a national footprint. Its second outlet opened on Normanton Road in 1927, eight years after the original acquisition. The company continued to expand in Derby, and family involvement remained central to the business. After Frank Bird, the last of the three founding brothers, died in 1951, management passed to two other members of the Bird family, Reg Bird and Paul Bird. A major operational transition took place in the early 1970s. In 1971, production moved to a new building on Ascot Drive, while the former headquarters site was demolished. By 1972, Birds employed approximately 300 people and operated 18 retail shops, indicating that the company had evolved from a small local bakery into a substantial regional employer and shop network. The combination of centralized production and multiple retail outlets provided the operating base for later expansion. Birds continued to add shops in the twenty-first century. The company's sixtieth shop opened in Sinfin in 2017. According to the cited description of the business, the chain had 65 outlets across the Midlands by October 2019. Its offer is associated with everyday bakery products, including bread, pastries and pork pies, sold through its own retail network. The brand has also received public attention in connection with operational and product-quality controversies. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Megan Metcalfe, manager of the Radcliffe-on-Trent branch, was dismissed for gross misconduct after accepting cash payments from elderly customers who did not have bank cards. A petition seeking her reinstatement or compensation reportedly attracted more than 13,000 signatures by 3 August 2020. In 2026, BBC News reported a customer backlash involving allegations from hundreds of customers that Birds' pork pies had deteriorated in quality. Birds responded that the recipe had not changed. Birds Bakery is therefore best understood as a regional, heritage bakery brand rather than a multinational food company. Its identity rests on its Derby origins, family history, Midlands retail presence and traditional baked-goods range. Publicly available reference material confirms the chain's historical development and outlet count at particular dates, but does not provide sufficient information to establish its current ownership structure, financial performance, current executive team or official website.
History
Birds Bakery traces its origins to Derby in 1919, when Frank, Thomas and Reginald Bird acquired Peach's bakery and pork butchers on Upper Dale Road. The purchase established the first Birds outlet and created the foundation for a family-operated bakery business. The company expanded within Derby during its first decade, opening a second shop on Normanton Road in 1927. The business remained connected to the Bird family as it grew. Frank Bird was the last of the three founding brothers to die, in 1951. Following his death, two further family members, Reg Bird and Paul Bird, took over the bakery. This succession helped preserve the family's involvement during a period when the company was developing beyond its original premises. Birds undertook a significant production and premises change in 1971, moving manufacturing to a new building at Ascot Drive. The previous headquarters was demolished as part of this transition. By the following year, Birds employed 300 people and operated 18 retail shops. These figures illustrate the scale reached by the business by the early 1970s and the importance of its combination of production facilities with company retail outlets. The chain's later history is marked by continued expansion across the Midlands. In 2017, Birds opened its sixtieth shop in Sinfin. By October 2019, the chain was described as having 65 outlets across the Midlands. The available reference material does not identify all branches, provide a complete chronology of openings or document the company's current outlet count, but it establishes a sustained regional expansion strategy. Birds' public profile has periodically included controversy. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Radcliffe-on-Trent store manager Megan Metcalfe was dismissed for gross misconduct after accepting cash payments from elderly customers who lacked bank cards. Supporters created a petition seeking her reinstatement or compensation, and the petition was reported to have passed 13,000 signatures by 3 August 2020. The incident placed the company's employment and customer-service policies under public scrutiny. A separate quality controversy was reported in 2026, when BBC News described a customer backlash concerning Birds' pork pies. Hundreds of customers allegedly believed the product's quality had declined. Birds denied that its recipe had changed. The available material does not establish the outcome of that dispute or identify any subsequent product reformulation. Overall, Birds Bakery's documented development runs from a single Derby bakery acquired in 1919 to a substantial Midlands shop chain. Its history is characterized by family succession, centralized production, steady local expansion and continued association with traditional bakery products. Information about its current corporate ownership, governance, finances and operations is not established by the supplied reference material.
- 2019
Chain reported to have 65 Midlands outlets
[1]As of October 2019, Birds Bakery was described as operating 65 outlets across the Midlands.
- 2017
Sixtieth shop opens in Sinfin
[1]Birds opened its sixtieth shop in Sinfin as part of its continuing regional expansion.
- 1972
Business reaches 18 shops and 300 employees
[1]Birds was reported to employ 300 people and operate 18 retail shops.
- 1971
Production moves to Ascot Drive
[1]The company's production operations moved to a new building on Ascot Drive, while the former headquarters was demolished.
- 1951
Family succession after Frank Bird's death
[1]After the death of Frank Bird, the last surviving founding brother, Reg Bird and Paul Bird took over the bakery.
- 1927
Second shop opens on Normanton Road
[1]Birds expanded beyond its original premises with a second retail shop in Derby.
- 1919
Birds Bakery is founded in Derby
[1]Frank, Thomas and Reginald Bird purchased Peach's bakery and pork butchers on Upper Dale Road, establishing the business that became Birds Bakery.
Products and positioning
A regional Midlands bakery chain with a century-long Derby heritage, emphasizing traditional bakery products and a network of local retail shops.
Bakery staple
Bread
Bread is one of the core product categories associated with Birds Bakery's retail bakery model. The supplied reference material identifies bread among the brand's typical products but does not provide a detailed catalogue of varieties, recipes, packaging formats or current availability.
Sweet and savoury bakery
Pastries
Pastries form part of the everyday bakery range sold through Birds' shops. Available reference material confirms the category but does not specify the full assortment, individual product names or the dates on which particular pastries were introduced.
Savoury bakery
Pork pies
Pork pies are a notable Birds Bakery product and became the subject of a reported customer-quality dispute in 2026. Customers alleged that quality had declined, while Birds stated that the recipe had not changed. The available material does not provide technical product specifications or confirm any subsequent recipe changes.
Controversies
2026
Pork pie quality backlash
Hundreds of customers reportedly alleged that Birds Bakery pork pies had deteriorated in quality. Birds rejected the implication that a product reformulation was responsible and stated that the recipe had not changed.
2020
Dismissal of Radcliffe-on-Trent store manager
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Birds Bakery dismissed Radcliffe-on-Trent store manager Megan Metcalfe for gross misconduct after she accepted cash payments from elderly customers without bank cards. A petition supporting her reinstatement or compensation reportedly gathered more than 13,000 signatures by 3 August 2020.
Sources1 sources
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