One of Manchester’s better known independent bakeries began in an archway round the back of Piccadilly train station in 2016. Queues soon began to form outside the unit for their range of delicious sourdough loaves and perfectly laminated croissants, pain au chocolate, pain au raisin and seasonal Danish pastries. Their ‘cruffins’ (a cross between a croissant and a muffin) usually sold out within hours.
They also soon caught the attention of other local independent venues who began to order wholesale, and chefs who started commissioning special loaves for their menus.
In 2018 Pollen Bakery moved to larger light-filled premises at Cotton Field Wharf in Ancoats, located beside New Islington Marina which has seating inside and out.
The local bakery still specialises in slow proved sourdough bread, Viennese baked goods, cakes, tarts and patisserie but now offers coffee, breakfast dishes, brunch and freshly made sandwiches too.
Over lockdown Pollen had modest success with their online shop offering gift boxes and jars of handmade spreads such as croissant butter, salted caramel and chocolate hazelnut spread made without additives.
Their talented team of bakers are always creating and improving their goods. At weekends, the Ancoats shop sells one-off seasonal specials like ice cream croissant sandwiches and of course, their cruffins in inspirational, weekly changing flavours such as blackberry cheesecake, duche de leche and even Lucky Charms with cereal milk filling.
It isn’t hard to see why the Sunday Times included Pollen Bakery in their list of the UK’s top 20 bakeries. Look out for Pollen’s collaborative events with like-minded independent businesses.