Brand new deli coming to Northampton shopping centre next month hopes to become ‘premium grab and go’

A brand new deli is coming to a Northampton shopping centre early next month, and hopes to become a “premium grab and go”.

The Olive and Baker, opening in Weston Favell Shopping Centre at the start of September, is a mother and son venture for Charlie and Gurjeet Sapal.

They will be providing homemade bread, olives, pastries and meal solutions, offering options for the community for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The mother and son duo believe they know the Northampton community well and felt there was a need for a business of this kind in the Weston Favell area.

Talking to Chronicle & Echo, Gurjeet says that although there are “great outlets” in the surrounding areas, he believed there was a need for a business offering the “convenient pick up of quality food”.

The deli will have no seating and will be home to 10 metres of fridges to house the food for all meals of the day.

From fresh bread and pastries in the morning and deep filled baguettes at lunchtime, to Indian, Italian, Thai and Chinese deli cuisine in the evenings, The Olive and Baker will offer something for everyone.

They will even sell essential items, such as bread, milk and eggs, for customers to pick up during their visit – and hope the smell of the fresh sourdough bread will fill the shopping centre.

“Hopefully we can help the community,” said Gurjeet. “It’s so diverse with all different demographics.”

The business co-founder says he and his mother have “always been so well supported” by the Northampton community, particularly in another of their successful business ventures.

Gurjeet and Charlie already have a curry sauce business called Punjaban, which began when Gurjeet was at university and sold the sauces to his friends who loved it.

Having set up a stall in Weston Favell Shopping Centre to sell the sauces, the produce that took a week to make typically sold out within two hours.

Gurjeet said: “Weston Favell is a hub for us. We feel at home and we’ve always done our shopping there.”

Now that Punjaban stocks for businesses including Beckworth Emporium and Daily Bread, as well as visiting food shows across the country, their focus has turned to The Olive and Baker.

The mother and son duo will also be offering their deli delights on food delivery apps.

“We know the market and know there’s a need for it,” said Gurjeet. “People do want that really nice, quality food. We want to offer something more premium at the best value we can.”

The deli will be located downstairs in the shopping centre, near the main entrance at the side of Costa, Burger King and Jenny’s Restaurant.

Having travelled the length and breadth of the country, the pair look forward to serving the Northampton community.

Charlie and Gurjeet’s father first moved to the town in the 1980s before Gurjeet was born. Having lived here all his life, Gurjeet said: “This is all we know.”

An opening date is yet to be fixed for early September, but there will be more to come on the Chronicle & Echo website ahead of the opening of this brand new deli.