For Roli Ranger, bakery is not simply another category on the shelf. At his newly relaunched Budgens in Ascot, it is part of the theatre of the store from the aroma of freshly baked croissants greeting shoppers at the entrance to the expanded fresh bread offer further inside.
Ranger has served the local community for more than 30 years, originally from a 2,200 sq ft Londis store. At the start of 2026, he took the business to the next level, adding 500 sq ft to the shop floor and relaunching as a fresh-focused Budgens. Opened in March 2026, the new store was designed around a food-hall concept, with fresh produce and bakery playing a central role.
The bakery offer begins at the entrance, where a self-serve ‘Good To Go’ display creates an immediate focal point. The custom-built unit allows shoppers to see the range while pull-out compartments help keep products fresh. Crispy golden croissants are among the first products shoppers encounter, while the wider offer includes locally made chilled patisseries and cakes, delivered fresh each day.
The Good To Go range includes hot pies, pastries and slices, all baked off by the in-store team throughout the day. The positioning is deliberate, with hot and cold drinks placed close to the baked goods to encourage quick purchases and cross-category sales. The store even uses promotions such as a Costa Coffee and croissant deal to connect the two categories.
Bakery also extends into the store’s open-plan ‘The Kitchen’ food-to-go zone. Here, shoppers can find filled croissants, focaccia sandwiches and other freshly prepared products alongside deli-style sub rolls, flat-stone pizzas and samosas. The Kitchen, developed with the help of a local chef, was designed to fill a gap in the local community for freshly cooked takeaway food and evening meal solutions.
But Ranger has not stopped at pastries and food-to-go. A bespoke-built bread unit gives the fresh bread category its own visual identity, with bold ‘Freshly Baked’ signage and product imagery. The anthracite-grey fixture houses individual crusty rolls, bloomers, loaves, demi and full-sized baguettes, alongside more distinctive options including onion bloomers, cheese loaves and tiger breads.
Organic options are also available. Its position next to the standard wrapped-bread fixture makes the expanded offer easy to browse and compare.
The numbers suggest the bakery-led fresh strategy is working. Total store sales have risen by more than 40%, from £25,000 a week to more than £43,000, while year-on-year fresh food sales, including bread and bakery, are up 70%. The new Kitchen concept is already generating around £2,000 a week, with further growth expected.
It is a strong performance for a retailer who has combined three decades of local knowledge with a completely new store concept. Rather than treating bakery as a static fixture, Ranger has used freshness, aroma, presentation, variety and cross-category merchandising to make it part of the reason to visit.