Paul and Mike Williams

Paul and Mike Williams are the father-son duo behind the brand Flake Bake, revolutionising Caribbean food in the UK. They deliver handmade, authentic Jamaican Patties, offering seven different, delicious flavours. Through competitions, outreach programmes, and strong community ties, Flake Bake has become a staple South London business. 

It all began with Paul, working in his uncle’s Jamaican bakery in the 90s. In 2008, after the business closed and the unit became available to lease, Paul decided to recreate the bakery that meant so much to him. Mike worked for his dad on evenings and weekends while at college. He went on to achieve a BA in Economics and Politics, as well as an MSc in Management for Business Excellence. Between his degrees, the duo established Flake Bake, spotting the gap in the market for Jamaican patties and the growing interest in Caribbean cuisine within the UK. Mike managed a complete transformation of the business, pushing Flake Bake into becoming South London’s largest supplier of handmade Jamaican patties. In 2024, the pair won Aldi’s Next Big Thing and have since sold over 2 million units in the stores alone. 

The business continues to support the community, working with local schools and the charity Leaders of Tomorrow to offer work experience for their students within their factory. They sponsor a biweekly outreach programme in Brixton, offering hot patties to those in need. Flake Bake was the first company in the UK to launch a TV advertisement for Jamaican patties as one of the winners of Channel 4 and Lloyds’ Black in Business initiative. Mike was featured on the HSBC/UKBBS Top 25 Entrepreneurs to Watch List 2024 and was named a BBBA 2024 Entrepreneur Rising Star. Most recently, Mike was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year at the Potential Unlocked Awards and Flake Bake was named on the FEBE Growth 100 Watch List

Sharing their culture, history and legacy through their flavourful patties, Paul and Mike are trailblazing figureheads in the growing domain of Caribbean food in the UK. Their Jamaican twist on the beloved Cornish Pasty, their influence is only expanding as they look to invest and strengthen like-minded entrepreneurs. Mike is speaking at the Black Men Business Talks in October, sharing his visionary insights and incredible story from a humble bakery to a thriving and effervescent business. With features across Channel 4, ITV, and the BBC, Flake Bake is the product of two men who believed in their ambitions.