Co-op has taken a significant step in supporting social enterprise and rehabilitation by listing HMPasties, a bakery brand focused on employing ex-offenders, in nearly 80 of its stores across the Manchester city region. This marks HMPasties' first supermarket presence, featuring handmade pies and pasties such as steak and cheese & onion varieties. The initiative aligns with HMPasties’ broader mission of reducing reoffending through employment and skills development, with profits helping to fund mentoring and training programs specifically targeted at prison leavers across the North West.

HMPasties was founded by Lee Wakeham, an entrepreneur who transformed his life after serving time in prison. Drawing from personal experience, Wakeham established the business to provide meaningful work opportunities for people leaving custody, recognising that securing employment is one of the most significant challenges faced upon release. "Finding meaningful work is often the biggest hurdle, and without it, many fall back into the cycle of crime," he said, highlighting the critical social impact of the enterprise. Through HMPasties, Wakeham offers others “the second chance he was fortunate enough to find.”

The partnership with Co-op builds on HMPasties’ involvement in the retailer’s Apiary Programme, which nurtures small, values-led suppliers through Accelerator and Incubator schemes. Co-op’s community buying lead, Kelly Orme, praised the collaboration, noting both the quality of the products and their wider social benefits. “Not only are the pies and pasties delicious, but they also support life-changing work, helping to make a difference and support rehabilitation by funding mentoring, skills development, and guidance to those determined to make positive changes in their lives,” Orme said.

Supporting prison leavers is central to HMPasties’ mission, exemplified by the HMPasties Foundation, which provides tailored training and ongoing support to help former inmates rebuild confidence and secure stable employment. Research underpins the business model, showing that employment dramatically lowers the risk of reoffending. According to industry data, social and economic costs associated with reoffending in the UK exceed £18 billion annually, illustrating the scale of the challenge and the potential impact of initiatives like HMPasties.

This latest supermarket listing adds to a growing portfolio of partnerships for HMPasties, which has recently secured high-profile supply deals with institutions such as Liverpool FC, where its pies and sausage rolls are served on match days, and with Joseph Holt, a Manchester-based brewery, which offers HMPasties pies alongside its menu. These collaborations not only enhance brand reach but also amplify the social mission by creating sustainable work opportunities for ex-offenders.

HMPasties also enjoys recognition beyond retail, having won the Heart of Salford Award in 2018 for its ‘vast contribution’ to the local community. The business reflects a broader social enterprise trend that leverages commercial success to generate social good, demonstrating how ethical entrepreneurship can drive both economic and societal benefits.

The presence of HMPasties products in Co-op stores across Greater Manchester offers consumers the chance to enjoy quality pies while supporting rehabilitation efforts, making it a promising example of how retail partnerships can contribute to social impact and the reduction of reoffending.