"He's going to be doing shifts in the stores"
Romesh Ranganathan could be swapping comedy for a baking as he expressed how much of a fan he is of an 87-year-old family-run bakery.
The comedian revealed that he has become a joint owner of Coughlans Bakery alongside Sean Coughlan, the company’s director and grandson of the bakery’s founder.
In an Instagram Reel, Romesh said:
“I’m the most excited about this announcement.
“It is something that I’ve wanted to get involved with for a long, long time.”
Coughlans Bakery launched in Croydon in 1937 and is now run by the family’s third generation.
Romesh’s relationship with the bakery began when he contacted them to order vegan food.
He had previously worked with Sean’s wife, TV makeup artist Samantha Coughlan, and was surprised when he found out about the link.
Romesh loved the products and encouraged the bakery to expand.
Sean said: “Romesh said to me, ‘You need a shop in Crawley’ [Romesh’s hometown].
“Romesh and his wife Leesa felt that it was a specific area that would be very good for us.”
He took the couple’s advice and has now opened a new branch in Maidenbower, Crawley.
Sean continued: “[Romesh] was instrumental in helping us find the site of the Crawley location. The negotiations were quite long, but eventually, we got it open.”
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Revealing that Romesh will be a hands-on partner, Sean revealed:
“Romesh wants to be hugely involved. This isn’t something that he wants to sit on the sidelines for.
“He’s going to be doing shifts in the stores, doing stuff in the bakery as well, and we’re going to document a lot of it.”
The investment comes after they collaborated on the launch of the vegan Ranga Yum Yum, where 10p from the sales of each pastry went to the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).
The Ranga Yum Yum was so popular that it is now permanently on the menu.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Coughlans has grown from 18 to 31 shops, with plans for additional expansion.
The Crawley location is the newest branch.
The bakery is now considering franchising.
Sean elaborated: “This is something we’ve been asked about for decades, and it’s not something we have done.
“Our 31 shops are all in-house at the moment. But franchising is something that we are actively looking into now.”
Coughlans Bakery specialises in plant-based goods, something that began when Sean learned one of his daughters was lactose intolerant.
Romesh Ranganathan is helping with plans for new products to introduce as part of Veganuary.
The bakery is family-run, with 41 family members having worked in the business over its 87-year history.
Sean added: “I first came in to work in the bakery when I was 14, but I’d been coming into the bakery since I was a baby.
“My earliest memories in life are being bought into the bakery, sitting in the office, doing my homework in the office.
“It’s really exciting to expand and what a perfect business partner to do it with – working hard, tasting nice food. and having fun whilst doing it.”
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