At aether, we proudly champion local produce and businesses across The Dining Experience by Adam Reid. Here we introduce our local supplier Pollen Bakery. Recently awarded one of the best places to eat in Europe, a wide range of Pollen’s iconic staples feature in aether’s Dining Experience menu. We spoke to Vikki, who looks after operations for Pollen, to discuss the partnership and the bakery’s values.

From small archway business to Manchester icon

Sourdough and Viennoiserie bakery Pollen was founded in Manchester in 2016, starting out in one of the railway arches behind Piccadilly Station. Since then, it has taken the city by storm, opening two of its own café sites in Kampus and Ancoats alongside its wholesale production operation.

Through its wholesale business, Pollen supplies and works with businesses across Manchester and beyond. This is how Pollen initially formed a working relationship with Adam Reid, whose restaurant The French was one of its first wholesale partners when the bakery started out. Eight years later, the opportunity to expand this partnership meant Pollen jumped at the chance to work with aether.

A shared focus on detail and quality

For aether, Pollen’s ethos – a focus on detail, quality and seasonality – makes it a perfect fit as a supplier for The Dining Experience by Adam Reid. According to Vikki, Pollen’s aim is to source and create the very best produce, as locally and sustainably as possible.

Like aether, Pollen seeks out like-minded local suppliers to collaborate with. For Pollen, these include Blossom Coffee, The Estate Dairy and Cinderwood Market Garden, all of which share a similar focus on detail and quality.

Working with aether puts Pollen among what Vikki called the “great company” of the Private Terminal’s other local suppliers, including Chorlton Cheesemongers and Cheshire Smokehouse.

Reaching new customers with hero products

For Pollen, becoming an aether supplier has given it an exciting opportunity to introduce its produce to a new and wider audience. In Vikki’s words, “What better way to say welcome to, or farewell from, our city than with a showcase of its local culinary best that we’re producing.”

Pollen supplies several of its hero products to aether, including croissants, sourdough and its signature potato bun. Pollen also supplies a bespoke malted rye recipe made by the bake team that works out of its Ancoats site.

While it shares some similarities with the signature Pollen 28-day sourdough – and undergoes the same fermentation process – the bread has a couple of key twists. The bakers also blend in a roasted barley malt and hydrate the dough with a bitter from local brewers Runaway, giving it a rich dark colour and distinctive flavour.

An innovative approach to product development

Pollen’s innovative approach to product development, combined with one of the bakery’s biggest priorities – minimising food wastage – has led to some of its most popular products, including its viral Croissant Butter, made from butter and crushed croissants.

aether is thrilled to be partnering with such a visionary local supplier, which creates signature products with ingredients from some of Manchester’s most exciting producers. Pollen is a perfect fit for helping The Dining Experience by Adam Reid to showcase what Manchester and the wider northwest can produce.

To experience aether’s Dining Experience - complete with Pollen Bakery produce - for yourself, plan your next trip from Manchester Airport through aether