A growing Skye bakery is expanding into a new year round production base in Broadford after securing more than £26,000 of support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Lean To Coffee will use the new commercial bakery to increase production, develop products for wholesale and retail and support four skilled bakery jobs as the business builds on its busiest summer season yet.
The company was founded in 2021 as a coffee shop on a family owned croft a few miles north of the Skye Bridge.
Operating from two converted shipping containers, Lean To Coffee showcases independent coffee roasters from across Scotland alongside its own range of sweet and savoury baking.
Where possible, ingredients are sourced locally or organically, helping the business establish itself with both visitors and people living on the island.
Growth has been rapid, with the summer of 2025 becoming its busiest season since opening and the company employing eight people, including its two founding directors.
That success also exposed the limits of its existing premises and prompted the directors to take on one of the new business units developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise at Broadford Business Park.
The unit will become a dedicated commercial bakery operating throughout the year and give the company room to increase production.
It will also allow Lean To Coffee to extend its opening pattern from five days to seven days a week.
The expansion represents a total investment of £65,190, with Highlands and Islands Enterprise contributing more than £26,000 towards equipment and fitting out the Broadford unit.
The additional space will allow the bakery to develop new products and begin exploring opportunities in wholesale and retail as it looks beyond the capacity of its original croft based operation.
HIE development manager Anna Campbell said:
“Food and drink and tourism are key sectors for Skye.
“After starting up during a very difficult time Lean To Coffee quickly became a valuable part of the area’s tourism offering, as well as an employer and contributor to the local economy.
“This latest expansion will enable the company to meet growing demand, increase business turnover and strengthen its resilience.
“The project has created four skilled bakery jobs in Broadford.
“I’m very pleased we’ve been able to provide support and look forward to seeing the new bakery taking shape.”
Lean To Coffee owner and director Lorenz Geng said:
“We feel incredibly lucky to have gained support from HIE through our journey of building Lean To into the business it is today, their support has allowed us to expand our bakery offerings which is being greatly enjoyed by tourists and locals alike.”
For a business that began inside two converted shipping containers on a family croft just five years ago, the move to a dedicated bakery in Broadford marks another significant step in its growth on Skye.
