Grind, the renowned coffee brand, is set to launch its inaugural venue outside of London with a new café nestled in one of Manchester's most eagerly awaited developments. The London-based coffee company Grind is gearing up to open its first establishment in the North at Gary Neville's St Michael's project, between Peter Street and Deansgate.
This all-day venue will offer specialty-grade coffee, seasonal fare, and cocktails upon its opening this summer.
Founded in 2011 by David Abrahamovitch, Grind began its journey when David transformed his father's former mobile phone shop in Shoreditch into the brand's initial café. Since then, the brand has flourished across London, with a variety of cafés, coffee shops, and even coffee trucks, complemented by their own high-tech coffee roastery.
Manchester has always been on Grind's radar, partly due to David's familial ties to the city. Speaking to , he shared that timing and location were key factors in deciding on the right spot for Grind's first Northern venture.
"We've always said that if we were to do a big site outside of London, the first place we would go would be Manchester," David said. "My wife is Mancunian and her whole family live in Manchester, so I've spent a lot of time there over the years and I've always thought that a Grind would work well.
"We've looked at various locations over the years, but thanks to Gary (Neville) and the team at Relentless we think we've finally found the perfect home for Grind in St Michaels, in the heart of Manchester."
David acknowledged the influx of other brands like Caravan, Blacklock, and Gail's moving up North, though said it wasn't the main impetus for Grind's expansion to Manchester, adding: "I think seeing other London brands come and succeed gives you comfort but not driving force.
"We were really keen to have a large format cafe, and were keen to have one outside London, a Northern flagship. Even though we're national, all our stores are in London, and Manchester was the only option.
"It was just really great timing that Gary and Relentless got in touch just as we were looking at it. With physical stores it's always a bit opportunistic, and every store is about location."
The new Manchester branch is envisioned as a 'home-from-home', open throughout the day, offering everything from coffee and breakfast to cocktails and lunch in a 'comfortable and relaxing' setting.
David said: "Manchester is super hot right now, the city seems to be buzzing, and when you see other brands coming in, like W Hotels in the same development, it helps you take that leap of faith.
"It felt like a no-brainer and in some ways I can't believe it's taken us until 2025 because I first looked in 2017.
"We are really proud of what we do in London and this is all about trying to show the people of Manchester what we have been doing for the last ten years - it's tried and tested."
St Michael's mission to become Manchester's first fully-let net zero carbon commercial development was also attractive to Grind, which is a certified B Corp.
Gary Neville, director at Relentless Developments, said: "The ambition for St Michael's was to create a landmark that will become an economic driver for Manchester and bring together major names in a world-class, sustainable development.
"Attracting brands like Grind who have yet to set foot outside the capital is a massive achievement and testament to how hard we've been working to deliver our vision for the scheme and city as a whole."
Grind has cultivated a dedicated fan base over the past decade with fourteen locations across London, a flourishing online business supplying sustainable coffee globally, and a burgeoning Ƶ retail presence. A partner of British Airways, Grind is the exclusive global coffee supplier to Soho House and holds collaborations with eminent brands such as Baileys and BrewDog, as well as cultural icons like Hello Kitty and American punk heroes Green Day.
Last week, restaurant chain Big Mamma group confirmed its plans to launch its first Northern location at St Michael's.
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