Arapina Distinct Baking Newsletter

Arapina is an award-winning healthy lifestyle bakery founded by Michaela Pontiki, whose roots in Cretan and Mediterranean cooking inspired a fresh, inclusive approach to baking. Based in South East London with a flagship location in Greenwich, Arapina earned recognition from the Financial Times as one of the top five free-from bakeries in the capital, and won the 2019 M&A Today Global Award for Best Healthy Food and Beverage Supplier in London. The bakery takes traditional Mediterranean recipes and reimagines them using natural, high-quality ingredients – without artificial sugar substitutes, egg replacements, or powdered dairy alternatives. The result is a range of baked goods and chocolates that are genuinely free from common allergens while remaining indulgent and full of flavour.

A Bakery Built on Mediterranean Roots

Greenwich has been central to the Arapina story from the beginning, with the bakery first trading in the famous Greenwich Market before establishing a permanent unit at the borders of Greenwich and Deptford. Founder Michaela Pontiki, a qualified architect with a passion for sustainability and harmonious living, channelled her Cretan upbringing into a business that treats dietary requirements not as limitations but as creative challenges. Arapina later opened a second location in East Dulwich, extending its reach across South East London. The bakery also supplies wholesale to other food businesses, and all packaging is designed to be recyclable or biodegradable.

Free From, Low In – Full of Flavour

Arapina specialises in recipes that are naturally free from butter, gluten, wheat, and dairy, alongside fully vegan and sugar-free options. Rather than relying on processed substitutes, the team develops recipes that are inherently free from these ingredients – a distinction that sets Arapina apart from many free-from bakeries. The range includes:

• Banana cakes, spiced carrot cakes, and blueberry cheesecakes
• Devils brownies, cookies, and protein balls
• Vegan croissants, crolls, Danish pastries, and pain au chocolat
• Dark almond chocolates, hazelnuts in dark chocolate, caramel and milk chocolate pebbles, and coffee beans in cappuccino chocolate
• Gluten-free and sugar-free pastries baked fresh on-site daily

Awards and Recognition

Arapina has collected a number of accolades since launching around 2017. As well as the M&A Today Global Award and the Financial Times free-from bakery recognition, the company has received Great Taste Awards and gold star recognition for its handmade confectionery. The bakery has been praised by food writers and reviewers for maintaining high standards across its plant-based range, with particular mention of its vegan pastry work and artisan chocolate selection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Arapina bakery still open?

Yes, Arapina continues to trade as of 2026, with bakery locations in Greenwich and East Dulwich in South East London. The company also offers online ordering and wholesale supply to other food businesses.

Where is Arapina bakery located?

Arapina operates from a flagship site on Little Thames Walk in Greenwich, near the border with Deptford, and a second location in East Dulwich. The bakery originally started trading at Greenwich Market before establishing permanent premises.

Is everything at Arapina vegan?

Arapina is a vegetarian bakery and the great majority of its products are fully vegan. The range also includes gluten-free and sugar-free options, developed using naturally free-from recipes rather than processed substitutes.

Does Arapina use artificial sweeteners or substitute ingredients?

No. Arapina does not use artificial sugar, powdered egg substitutes, or artificial milk replacements. Recipes are developed to be naturally free from these ingredients, using real natural components throughout.

What awards has Arapina won?

Arapina has won the 2019 M&A Today Global Award for Best Healthy Food and Beverage Supplier in London, received Great Taste Awards and a gold star award for its handmade delicacies, and was named by the Financial Times as one of London's top five free-from bakeries.

Does Arapina offer wholesale supply?

Yes, Arapina supplies its vegan and gluten-free baked goods wholesale to food businesses, cafes, and retailers. Details are available through the company's official website.

This catalogue and newsletter listing is part of the Catalink archive and may no longer be available to order. The information above describes Arapina Distinct Baking, also trading as Arapina Bakery. For current details, visit the company's official website.