Bread baked better
Leeds Bread Co-op (LBC) was established in the summer of 2012 by three founding members, Ian, Phil and Zig. Motivated to make great quality, delicious bread with nutritious, well sourced ingredients available to the people of Leeds. At the same time creating an ethical and enjoyable workplace that provides a good livelihoods to the workers. No bosses, equal pay and shared responsibility. What’s not to like?
A workers co-operative, in short a cooperative owned and self managed by its workers. Non-profit and working toward being a social enterprise. Reinvesting any surplus back into LBC whilst trying to maximise improvements in financial, social and environmental well-being.
Focused around the three elements of the name:
Leeds – to be a socially conscious community bakery for the benefit of Leeds residents.
Bread – to produce real bread in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
Co-op – to provide an ethical and enjoyable livelihood and workplace to employees.
Since the pandemic they’ve regrouped and restructured, with a strategy to grow sustainably and have a stronger community focus; currently working with some local organisations to help them develop and pilot community baking sessions, and to offer a wider range of classes and educational activities.
“It certainly hasn’t always been plain baking since our inception but we are constantly striving in working toward our common goals.
Over the last couple of years we’ve taken the time to restructure our co-op to increase membership, creating a fairer and more balanced place to work.”
Joe (LBC Member)
Committed to making the bakery a space that a variety of groups and members of the local community can use. They hope this becomes a large part of future development in union with other extensions of the bakery.
LBC offer baking classes for all abilities and a well established subscription shopping service.
You can find more on the website www.leedsbread.coop
