Millie's Cookies
Millie's Cookies is a UK chain of retail bakeries,[1] specializing in cookies, muffins, hot drinks and gifts. It was named after its founder's mother-in-law, Charlotte Pitcher. The company has stores in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Egypt, Malta, Hong Kong.[2][3] The company owns 105 stores in the United Kingdom.[1]
History
The first Millie's Cookie baked by Stephen Singer after the company was founded by Mario Budwig in late 1985.[4] Later that year the company launched its first store within Selfridges department store food hall on Oxford Street, London.[4] In 1987 Richard O'Sullivan joined the company as managing director[4] and began to expand it outside London for the first time, with openings in Sheffield, Manchester and Birmingham. During the following years outlets were opened in most major railway stations and airports in the UK as well as in many shopping centres.
Business grew steadily and in June 1997 Millie's Cookies purchased Cookie Jar, a competitor with about 30 outlets. The newly bought stores were rebranded as Millie's Cookies. In June 2003 Millie's was purchased by Select Service Partner (SSP), a division of Compass Group. In 2006 Compass sold SSP to EQT Partners. By 2006, the chain grew to 121 outlets.[4]
Stores
Millie's currently operates most of its stores in England, Scotland and Wales, and there are stores in Hong Kong International Airport, France Métro-station Opéra in Paris, Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport and Berlin Hauptbahnhof. In 2010 outlets opened in Cairo and Malta, the latter a few days after the launch of the Point shopping complex.[5]
In the transit market, Millies operates in train stations and airports with sites in central London including Waterloo, London Bridge, Euston and Liverpool St Stations.
In shopping centres, Millie's Cookies operates as a single brand format and as a dual brand with Baskin-Robbins or Ben and Jerry's. Within the shopping sector Millie's also operate satellite stores or mini-mall kiosks.
Products
Cookies in the outlets are baked daily and can last up to 3 days when kept in airtight conditions.
References
- 1 2 "Millie's Cookies". The Franchise Magazine. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
- ↑ "Company Overview of Millie's Cookies Ltd.". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ↑ "Millie's cookies franchise to start operating in Malta". The Times (Malta). February 19, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 "Mike is one smart cookie!". Manchester Evening News. October 17, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-07.
- ↑ Franchise Opportunities | 'Millie's Cookies' - freshly baked cookies delivered across the UK
Further reading
- Franchise International article on Millie's Cookies
- Lewis, Craig (September 13, 2006). "Millie's Cookies". MK News (Milton Keynes).
- Marketing Week
- Dorset Business Magazine
- British Baker magazine
- Times of Malta