Bakery Bread Ahead claims it is being removed from Borough Market for being "too successful", with international franchising a possible point of contention. Borough Market states the details of the arrangement remain private.
Founder Matthew Jones thinks the brand's international franchising has counted against it, according to the evidence. Borough Market has strict criteria for vendors in order to protect the character of the market, one of which is the prohibition on entering franchises.
Writing in a debate on whether the market should allow franchising, Yulia Rorstrom, founder of Duck and Dry, said Borough Market should reconsider its franchising rules. She said tough standards and vetting of business owners should apply, but argued that a successful independent business is still a business somebody built.
Eddy Massaad, founder of Swiss Butter, said franchising on its own does not tell you whether a trader belongs. He said space is limited and the market needs to give the next Bread Ahead a chance, but that decisions about existing traders should come with a clear explanation of what a business is no longer bringing to the market.
The verdict in the debate said Borough Market is right to maintain its emphasis on independence, while noting Bread Ahead may well be the exception.