Tassie family-run bakery chain Banjo’s Bakeries plans to conquer all states

A beloved family bakery chain plans to double its stores to 100 over the next three years, with new franchises lined up in three new states and territories

Banjo's Bakery has plans to expand to 100 stores by 2028.

A second generation family-run bakery chain from Tasmania plans to operate in all states on the mainland, with a goal of 100 stores by 2028.

Banjo’s Bakery Cafe, which claims to be the only bakery franchise left in Tasmania, has outlined plans to double its stores nationally.

The business has the classic offerings of any Australian bakery, from meat pies and sausage rolls, to bread and sweet treats.

But it also sells more novel products, including a curried scallop pie and a chicken parmi pie, as well as coffee and iced tea.

In the past financial year, it added eight shops to its network, upping its total to 51 stores across the eastern states.

Banjo's Bakery has plans to expand to 100 stores by 2028.

Acting CEO Bradley Saxby said there are already six more new stores lined up for the rest of the year and nine more confirmed lease agreements for 2026.

It will be entering some markets for the first time, including Perth and Darwin.

“We’re considering pretty much all of the existing states we’re in, but also adding in Northern Territory and WA at the moment.

“We’re more of a regional-based business, so we’re looking at areas where a lot of other brands aren’t, which lowers the competition for drive-through sites as well.

“We want to be seen dominating in the bakery market.”

Banjo's Bakery Cafe acting CEO Bradley Saxby is the son of founder Mark Saxby.

One focus area the company is targeting is North Queensland, with the Sunshine State being a “great market for our drive-throughs”, Mr Saxby said.

Banjo’s has its first site lined up for Mackay, while three more stores are planned for Townsville by the end of next year, he said.

He added the company is in early discussions for another shopfront in Airlie Beach.

“That’s a natural growth pathway for us up there, we love that area.

“We could probably get up to two or three in Mackay.”

Mr Saxby’s parents started the business in 1984, with their first bakery in Hobart.

His father, Mark Saxby, was a trained patisserie chef and baker.

Some of the pies and sausage rolls sold in Banjo’s today are still made from their original recipe.

“They had a love for baking,” Mr Saxby said.

“They grew to 28 stores in Tasmania.

“There’s no longer any other bakery chains in Tasmania, believe it or not, they all got pushed out or closed down.

“We’re just a second generation now, taking on, growing the business and moving it forward.”

Banjo's Bakery Cafe has plans to expand to 100 stores by 2028.

His sister Jessica Saxby took over the business at the age of 27 and was CEO for the last 14 years.

He has taken the acting CEO role, while she has been on maternity leave.

Mr Saxby said the company ramped up its expansion when it launched its first drive-through stores in Queensland, in 2020.

“We had a massive success off both.

“I think when we proved that we could face the challenges of Covid, in terms of travel restrictions and opening up stores and stuff like that, we could really get on with anything.

“So that spurred us into a full growth mode, in terms of new sites.”

He said the company also invested in technology to make its production more efficient, including an in-house recipe app, with videos to teach bakers recipes and self-starting equipment, similar to a self-timed oven.

“It doesn’t require bakers to roll in it at certain times and flick things on.

“[It saves] hours of labour.”

Banjo's Bakery Cafe has plans to expand to 100 stores by 2028.

He noted the major bakery chain scene in Australia was small – with few competitors like Baker’s Delight or Brumby’s.

“It’s a higher barrier to entry into your traditional bakeries.

“We bake on site every single day, we bake at all of our 51 current stores, with bakers out the back and we’re in full production mode from 2am every morning.

“That type of business just requires a little bit more skill than some of the other [quick service restaurants] out there.

“We’ve spent 41 years in business now, refining that process … it just allows us to put the business together to now focus on growth.”

Originally published as Tassie family-run bakery chain Banjo’s Bakeries plans to conquer all states