Welsh Pie Venture Donald’s Expands to Hackney Wick, London 2026

Key Points

• Expansion Beyond Wales: Independent coffee and pie venture Donald’s has opened its first permanent location outside of Wales in London.
• New Location: The Cardiff-based start-up has invested in a new venue situated in Hackney Wick, East London.
• Company Origins: The business was established two years ago by co-founders Gareth Owens and Harri Rees.
• Reputation: Despite its small physical footprint initially, the shop built a massive reputation for its artisanal pies and speciality coffee in Cardiff.
• Strategic Growth: The move to London marks the brand’s initial step in testing its concept within a major competitive metropolitan market.

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) September 8, 2026 – Independent coffee and pie venture Donald’s has officially expanded outside Wales for the first time, opening a permanent venue in the Hackney Wick area of East London. Founded two years ago by Gareth Owens and Harri Rees, the tiny Welsh shop built a massive reputation in Cardiff through its focused menu of artisanal pies and speciality coffee. The new London venture represents a significant capital investment and operational scale-up for the independent brand as it brings its Welsh culinary concept to a broader UK audience.

What is the story behind Donald’s expansion to London?

Donald’s began as a modest pie and coffee outfit in Cardiff, operating out of a small physical footprint. Over its two years of operation, co-founders Gareth Owens and Harri Rees cultivated a loyal customer base by combining traditional pie-making techniques with high-grade coffee offerings. The venture gained traction rapidly through local word-of-mouth and positive regional coverage, establishing a strong brand identity within the Welsh capital.

The decision to secure a site in Hackney Wick follows months of planning to take the business model into new markets. Hackney Wick, known for its creative community, independent food vendors, and bustling foot traffic, was selected as the ideal location for the brand’s first venture outside of Wales. The move marks a transition from a single-site local shop to a multi-region business entity.

How did Gareth Owens and Harri Rees build the brand?

Gareth Owens and Harri Rees launched Donald’s with a focus on simplicity, quality ingredients, and strong community engagement. By limiting the core offering to a carefully curated selection of freshly baked pies paired with ethically sourced coffee, the duo managed to maintain low overheads while maximizing product quality.

During their two years in Cardiff, Owens and Rees refined their operational workflows to handle high volumes within a compact space. This efficiency allowed the tiny shop to serve hundreds of customers daily, building a reputation that extended well beyond its immediate neighborhood. The co-founders maintained direct involvement in daily operations, product development, and customer engagement, which laid the foundation for their expansion plans.

Why was Hackney Wick chosen for the new venue?

The choice of Hackney Wick in East London aligns with Donald’s target demographic of young professionals, creatives, and independent food enthusiasts. Hackney Wick has transformed over the past decade into a major culinary and cultural hub, hosting numerous independent breweries, bakeries, and eateries.

By investing in this location, Owens and Rees aim to position Donald’s within an environment that values boutique food concepts. The area provides high footfall, particularly during weekends, allowing the Welsh business to tap into London’s fast-paced quick-service dining sector while maintaining its identity as an independent artisan producer.

What does the new London menu feature?

The London venue continues the core menu philosophy established in Cardiff, featuring handmade pies with a variety of traditional and modern fillings alongside specialty espresso-based drinks. Supply chains have been organized to ensure the quality and consistency of ingredients match those served in the original Cardiff site.

The expansion has required the business to scale up production capacity while maintaining the handcrafted nature of its recipes. Owens and Rees have indicated that the Hackney Wick shop will serve as a template for how the brand operates outside its home market, balancing efficiency with product integrity.

What is the background of this development?

The growth of independent pie shops and specialty coffee venues reflects a broader shift in the UK’s food and beverage sector over the past decade. Traditional British comfort foods, particularly pies, have undergone a premium revival. Consumers have increasingly favored high-quality, locally sourced ingredients over mass-produced alternatives, allowing small-scale operators to capture market share.

Cardiff has developed a vibrant independent food scene in recent years, serving as an incubator for several successful food and beverage concepts. Businesses established in the Welsh capital have increasingly looked toward larger urban centers in England, particularly London, to scale their operations. Donald’s trajectory from a small local counter to a multi-city venture follows this broader industry trend of regional independent brands scaling up into national competitive spaces.

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What is the prediction for how this expansion will affect the business and its audience?

The opening of Donald’s in Hackney Wick is likely to have several direct impacts on the business, its founders, and its expanding customer base:

• Impact on the Brand and Founders: Operating in London introduces higher overheads, including rent, rates, and labor costs, alongside intense competition from established local vendors. Success in Hackney Wick will validate the brand’s scalability and could pave the way for further expansion across other major UK cities. Conversely, managing operations across two distinct geographical regions will require increased management oversight and robust quality control systems.
• Impact on the Welsh Customer Base: Existing patrons in Cardiff may see Donald’s evolve from a neighborhood secret into a recognized regional brand. While expansion can sometimes risk diluting a shop’s localized appeal, it also elevates the profile of Cardiff’s independent food scene on a national stage.
• Impact on London Consumers: Food enthusiasts in East London gain access to a distinctly Welsh food concept that bridges traditional comfort food with modern coffee culture. If Donald’s maintains its pricing structure and product standards, it stands to establish a firm foothold in the Hackney Wick dining landscape.