Iconic bakery brand, Wrights, is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a year-long series of celebrations and investment.
Founded in Stoke-on-Trent in 1926, Wrights has grown into one of the UK’s leading food bakery businesses, supplying its savoury pastry and sweet bakery ranges into retail, foodservice and its own bakeries and forecourt outlets across the UK.
To mark its centenary year Wrights, now part of The Compleat Food Group, is making a major investment as it targets continued growth. This includes refreshing its retail shops and growing its store network across the UK. To celebrate the anniversary, it will also be launching special edition products and delivering targeted marketing to engage loyal fans and attract new customers.
Wrights began 100 years ago, when John James (Jack) and Lizzie Wright began selling Meat & Potato Pies from their doorstep in Stoke-on-Trent during the Great Strike. Their first shop, outside of the original bakery, opened in 1929 and quickly became a local staple, famed for its pies, sausage rolls and pastries.
The brand grew to national prominence in the 1980s by pioneering frozen, unbaked savoury products, introducing the Bake-Off model and creating innovative recipes, including the iconic Chicken Balti Pie, now a favourite among football fans nationwide.
Acquired by The Compleat Food Group in 2021, Wrights now serves over 800 customers and offers more than 500 products across savoury and sweet bakery and ready meals. The brand, which employs over 600 people, has also extended its retail footprint beyond Staffordshire, opening eight new forecourt shops in the last two years, with more to come in 2026.
Wrights’ year-long programme of celebrations and initiatives are designed to honour its heritage and showcase its commitment to quality and innovation. Alongside the store refresh and planned new openings, it will feature a Wrights Roadshow, which will see a branded van touring the UK to offer sampling experiences, plus a commemorative centenary logo will be introduced across packaging, vehicle livery and retail outlets.
At the heart will also be two new centenary products, showcasing Wrights’ expertise in savoury pastry and sweet bakery. The first is the Centenary Chicken & Leek Pie, created in collaboration with leading chef and Great British Menu star, Thom Bateman. The second product is a Centenary Limited Edition Caramel Custard Slice, a take on Wrights’ iconic Vanilla Custard Slice. Both products will be available later this year in Wrights’ retail shops and through wholesale.
Community engagement will also play a central role in the celebrations, with school roadshows and charity partnerships with Dougie Mac and Macmillan Cancer Support. Digital activations, including social media campaigns and a specially produced video, will further amplify the milestone.
Helen Bowyer, commercial director – Foodservice at The Compleat Food Group, home of Wrights, said: “We’re incredibly proud to celebrate the centenary of our iconic bakery brand, Wrights. For 100 years, we’ve been baking with pride, from humble beginnings selling Meat & Potato Pies on a doorstep to becoming one of the UK’s leading bakery businesses. This year is all about honouring that heritage while looking to the future, with exciting initiatives such as our special edition products, the Wrights Roadshow, refreshed retail stores, new openings, and community engagement activities that will bring the Wrights story to life for past, present and future generations.”
Peter Wright, former chairman and CEO of Wrights, and grandson of founders, added: “Since 1926, quality has been at the heart of everything we do. We often say, there’s the right way, and then there’s the Wrights Way. A hundred years on, that commitment remains exactly the same. Reaching this milestone is an incredible moment for Wrights, for our family, and for every employee, customer, supplier and stakeholder who has been part of our journey. We’re proud of our heritage and excited to celebrate this success throughout 2026.”
For more information, visit https://www.compleatfood.com/brands/wrights/.
