Planet Lean: The Official online magazine of the Lean Global Network
Managing a chain of 100 cafes in Barcelona with lean

Managing a chain of 100 cafes in Barcelona with lean

Emi Castro
January 23, 2018

THE LEAN BAKERY - For the past decade, lean has fuelled the growth of a chain of cafes/bakeries in Barcelona. With 100 now open, the Retail Manager explains how lean helps them manage a booming business.


Interviewee: Emi Castro, Retail Manager, 365.café


You might have heard our story: a business in trouble discovers lean and turns things around so dramatically it is now booming. Our chain of over 100 cafés/bakeries in and around Barcelona has been growing so much over the past decade, and if we have been able to manage this growth it is thanks to lean thinking.

Our lean experiments started in our main workshop (more on that in a few weeks), and only reached our "shops" a little later. But when they did, they truly transformed our way of working.

In the short video interview below, Eva and Conchi (two of our coaches) and I explain how we manage the shops day after day, how we organize the work, and how lean is helping us open new cafés quickly and easily. There will be two more episodes on the retail side of our business in February, so make sure to come to Planet Lean next month.

Thanks for watching!


You can read all about the 365 story in The Lean Bakery.

The Lean Bakery book cover

Buy your copy here


THE INTERVIEWEE

Emi Castro photograph
Emi Castro is Retail Manager at 365.café in Barcelona

Read more

An enterprise-wide cultural transformation
July 15, 2022
An enterprise-wide cultural transformation

CASE STUDY – A Chilean company selling and servicing vehicles and equipment for a variety of industries has made of humility the leading trait of its cultural transformation, with great results.

Continue reading
A few lean government lessons from South Africa
June 2, 2016
A few lean government lessons from South Africa

FEATURE – By looking at the state of lean management in the South African government sector, the author shares a number of important lessons that apply to public service organizations all around the world.

Continue reading
When technology hinders our ability to innovate
December 19, 2016
When technology hinders our ability to innovate

OPINION – In a competitive and unpredictable market, the temptation to rely on technology is always strong, but experience proves that there is no better support than people's ability to learn and adapt to new situations.

Continue reading
Lean leadership and the opportunity for developing countries
July 2, 2015
Lean leadership and the opportunity for developing countries

ARTICLE – While supporting the adoption of lean in a Mozambican hospital, a young engineer learned a number of valuable lessons on leadership and what it really takes to help developing countries to grow.

Continue reading

Read more

No items found.