With over 4,000 bakery café locations around the world, Paris Baguette is now using the same growth strategy that exploded in the U.S. to grow in Canada.
As a globally established bakery café brand, Paris Baguette has made a name for itself in multiple markets around the world. After beginning to offer franchise opportunities in the U.S., focusing on establishing bakery cafés in key markets and expanding in concentric circles, we have learned that the North American market is incredibly receptive to the Paris Baguette model. Canada seemed like a natural next step, and since opening our first Canadian location in Toronto in late March, we’ve seen an explosion in interest from both guests and prospective owners. In fact, we just opened a second Canadian location in Edmonton on September 14th.
With two cafés open in Canada and another almost 20 franchise agreements executed for the Canada market, we are on track to open another six cafés by the end of 2023 and expect to see even more aggressive growth in 2024. Much of this success can be attributed to Paris Baguette’s truly unique model. We are meeting a huge need in Canada.
As many formerly “bakery café” concepts shift more toward an eatery model, offering pre-made food items and warmed, rather than fresh-baked, pastries, Paris Baguette is staying true to its roots as a French-inspired bakery café. In the $17 billion and growing bakery café industry, Paris Baguette maintains its standout status by actually baking.
A team of talented bakers and cakers come into each Paris Baguette café around the world every morning to make our coveted baked goods in-house, offering the community a warm, welcoming place to indulge and connect. While this serves as a key differentiator, the business model offers even more to support franchisees through their growth.
How Paris Baguette Supports Its Franchisees
Paris Baguette offers a strong business model with unique offerings that naturally caters to a range of clients, but the strength of the model doesn’t stop there. With a robust education, training and support system, our team ensures that each local owner feels fully prepared both at the time of launch and to continue to thrive for the entire span of their business.
Franchisees are partnered with fellow owners and have access to mentorship and advice from owners who have firsthand experience. They also receive access to company resources like training, supply chain management, marketing and continued education to help them most effectively roll out and sell new menu items and limited time offers.
In addition to early training and educational resources, there is a design team present to work alongside franchisees as they prepare for the grand opening day, ensuring that the inside of the café is aligned with brand standards. Another key driver of franchisees’ success is the ambiance offered by Paris Baguette cafés, and it is crucial that each and every café embodies the French bakery café image with bright light, rich colors and crisp design.
We have also developed a streamlined labor model that supports franchisees in recruiting and retaining top talent that will contribute to the iconic Paris Baguette ambiance and experience. The nature of the bakery café business model also lends itself to a bit more flexibility, meaning franchise owners and their employees can embrace more flexibility and work-life balance.
For franchisees looking to get involved with Paris Baguette, this balance, specifically, can be a key motivator. Paris Baguette presents an opportunity to truly get involved with a franchise business and local community in a meaningful way, connecting with both members of the Paris Baguette franchise system and their guests while building a powerful business. With a prime balance of purposeful local provision and powerful business potential, the Paris Baguette model is more than fit for the Canada market.
Paris Baguette’s Growth in Canada and North America
In this most recent expansion push, the Paris Baguette leadership team has demonstrated its own confidence in and commitment to the market. As it grows, Paris Baguette is establishing both franchised and corporate-owned locations in Canada, investing alongside its franchisees to open a string of cafés in key lifestyle centers. From here, we will grow in concentric circles, expanding from flagship locations and driving awareness of the brand and newly opened locations across Canada.
Seeding the market with corporate locations mimics the growth strategy that allowed us to explode so quickly in the U.S. through franchising and continues to drive incredible growth. For example, in the first half of this year, we awarded 98 new franchises and opened 20 new locations across the U.S., an exponential growth trajectory that we expect to continue along.
As we break into Canada, we are taking a similar approach to ensure we build a strong foundation for the brand in the country. This is a crucial step that will drive Paris Baguette’s ability to strengthen our name in the market and boost the success of individual locations as they serve as community pillars, offering a sought-after bakery café experience that simply cannot be found elsewhere.
After seeing major success in Toronto and new growth in Edmonton, we also have our eyes on Alberta and Vancouver due to the population explosions in those markets.
Darren Tipton is Chief Executive Officer for Paris Baguette and has been leading the brand the past 5 years. Prior to joining Paris Baguette, Tipton led Operations for Le Pain Quotidien and Bowlmor AMF.