By Roseline Victoria Vijayakumar
What makes Paris Baguette a force to be reckoned with is not simply its unprecedented growth, but also the fast that it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Instead of taking the well-beaten path of transitioning into a full-service restaurant, it stands true to its vision of becoming the best neighbourhood bakery café in the world.
In 2023, the brand opened four cafés in Canada and sold three new deals. This year, the company has plans to open an additional 10 locations in Toronto, Edmonton, Mississauga, Ont. and Vancouver.
Behind this remarkable growth is a dedicated leadership team led by CEO Darren Lipton. “At Paris Baguette, community is at our core,” says Lipton in a company release. “We believe it’s the people that make the experience that much sweeter. As we continue to grow, we will hold fast to our brand values.”
Paris Baguette boasts more than 4,000 units across the globe. The global brand first franchised in the U.S. in 2015 and has since established more than 150 locations in markets across the country, making it one of the premier franchise opportunities in its category.
“[The company recorded] more deals, leases and openings in 2023 than ever before,” says Eric Lavinder, Chief Development Officer, Paris Baguette. “Sales are very strong, with Canada seeing some of the highest sales numbers. Additionally, we introduced a dedicated holiday promotional campaign focused on seasonal cakes and festive treats. We also planned for several cohesive calendar windows pulling through thematic flavours across pastry, cake and beverages.”
The concept originated in Korea as a French-inspired bakery. “In the U.S., we have leaned in on the French bakery inspiration while incorporating many of our traditional Korean roots to create truly unique products,” says Lavinder.
However, what sets the brand apart is its commitment to supporting its franchisees. “We’re focused on all major metro markets in Canada, with a focus on British Columbia and the GTA, but we’ll consider [additional] markets when we identify strategic partners to join us as we continue to grow,” he says.
The brand aims to identify franchisee partners who have a similar vision for growth. For prospective franchisees, the initial-investment fee ranges from $652,565 to $1,750,900, which includes the $50,000 franchise fee. The franchisee commitment is for a period of 10 years and franchisees are expected to adhere to brand standards outlined in the operations manual as well as the legal requirements in the franchise agreement.
“We continue to focus on finding the right partners, securing top real estate and ensuring our franchisees and their teams are fully prepared to open with great success,” says Lavinder, adding ideal locations for Paris Baguette are standalone or end cap units of about 3,000 sq. ft.
The brand prides itself on franchisee support including real-estate support, which encompasses identifying opportunities, reviewing leases, approving test fits, evaluating construction bids and selecting the right partner. Furthermore, franchisees are provided a comprehensive four to six weeks of training at the company’s training centre, coupled with seven to 14 days of onsite training for pre-opening support through the grand opening. Marketing and ongoing operations support for the full term of the agreement is also provided, including financial reviews, training support and troubleshooting as franchisees navigate daily café operations.
Paris Baguette has a clear vision of its next steps and has carefully chalked out plans to drive expansion. “We’ve hired an additional team member to handle U.S. real estate and transitioned an existing team member to solely focus on Canadian sales and real estate to ensure we keep our momentum going and stay focused on finding and partnering with our franchisees to help set them up for success,” says Lavinder. “Canada is a big focus for our brand and we’re excited as we continue to see the demand for our brand through franchise growth and guests enjoying our offerings.”
