In a promising move for the Irish bakery sector, Arbutus Breads and Bretzel Bakery will be joining forces. Bretzel, situated in Dublin, will take over the Cork-based Arbutus from the retiring couple, Declan and Patsy Ryan.
Arbutus Breads Limited’s ownership, alongside specific assets, will move to the Bretzel Trading Company Limited. The transition is scheduled for the 8th of July. Bretzel projects it’s income will go beyond €6 million this year, contrasting with that of Arbutus which has oscillated between €1.2 and €1.4 million. William Despard, the owner of Bretzel, is adamant that all 18 employees of Arbutus will join the Bretzel family, keeping the legacy, goodwill and trade of Arbutus intact.
Dublin-based Bretzel’s head, Dymphna O’Brien, plans not to make any major changes in Arbutus’s operation, a strategy that they maintained with Bretzel during their initial years. However, Despard is optimistic of enhancing Arbutus’s market presence not just in Cork, but across southwest Ireland.
Declan Ryan, the pioneering Michelin Star chef of Ireland, along with his partner Patsy Ryan, took the reins of Arbutus Lodge in Cork in 1970, entering the Michelin Star league in 1974. Closing the curtains on the restaurant in 1999, the couple moved into the artisanal bakery business, crafting over 2,000 loaves of sourdough and yeast every night. Their baking enterprise, also recognized for its retail stalls at Cork markets, soon established itself as a stalwart of the local food industry in Cork.
Despard became the owner of Bretzel bakery in 2000, a company that has been serving customers since 1870. Bretzel remains operational from its original Portobello, Dublin location, but has successfully extended its reach to Kildare and another part of Dublin, boasting a variety of artisan breads and pastries. Over its long history, Bretzel has gathered multiple Blas na hEireann awards including the prestigious Supreme Champion award in 2020.
Ryan and Despard have enjoyed a long-standing partnership, both personally and professionally, unified by their joint love for creating sourdough and artisanal breads. “Declan has been a part of my life for around 23 or 24 years. We’ve been close friends as well as business partners,” shared Despard, who views Ryan as somewhat of a mentoring figure. “He’s been exceedingly kind to me. Our bakery in Dublin, which excels in fresh bread, makes us really happy, while they’re deeply a part of Cork with their bakery. Honest conversations about the future path of bread were always possible. From him, I gained a lot of knowledge, and the assurance that I was on the right path paying attention to artisanal breads with high standard fermentation,” he explained, dismissing the idea of large-scale production.
After a lengthy stint in the food industry, Declan and Patsy Ryan are set to retire. The bakery, currently employing 18 people, will keep running in Cork. Bretzel Bakery said that the choice to take over Arbutus Breads was a straightforward one that aligns neatly with their objective to make the finest sourdough and artisanal breads in Ireland.
In a conversation with the Examiner, Ryan stated, “I’ll be turning 81 next July. My knees have given up and there are a few other health issues. Collaborating with Bretzel presented an opportunity for continuity and even the possibility to enhance operations. We’ve held their work in high regard for a good number of years. It’s fair to say there’s a mutual respect between us since we consulted their bakery in Dublin before setting up [our current bakery], and they’ve also sent their bakers here.”