Paris Baguette: From Friendship to Franchise Ownership

After decades spent in the financial sector, Kai Zhu and Vicky Yan were both considering entrepreneurship and looking for the right fit. The two had mutual friends and Zhu, who is pursuing his EMBA, met Yan’s husband in his program at Wharton. The two couples got to know each other better and, during a casual dinner at Yan’s home, they decided to go into business together.

Zhu and Yan both immigrated to the U.S. to pursue their degrees and build successful careers and are now fulfilling their American Dream, finding more freedom and flexibility, as they build something truly meaningful in their own community.

The pair had experienced Paris Baguette* , the 4,000-unit global bakery café franchise, as guests, and they knew it would be a great addition to the Newton Square community — a neighborhood Zhu and Yan say is currently underserved.

The business partners have signed to bring a new café to the market and plan to open next spring, but they both see potential for additional growth with Paris Baguette and hope to bring the unique, fresh-baked and community-centric experience to even more people in Pennsylvania.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Zhu: I’ve worked in finance for more than 15 years, but I’ve always wanted to own my own business. I’m working on my EMBA at Wharton, and Vicky is the partner of my classmate. We both wanted to own and run a business, and Paris Baguette was the right fit for Newton Square. We’re going to be bringing something to a community that is underserved.

Yan: I’m working full-time in the financial industry and consumer lending, doing analytics. I watched my parents run a business since I was a child, so that has always been a seed in my mind and an ultimate goal in life. I don’t want to work for others. I want to grow my own business and see if I can leverage what I’ve learned in the past from my parents and jobs.

Zhu: I was aware of the model from a family business. Given our background in finance, we thought a franchise model would be the right one for us.

Yan: Another reason we chose Paris Baguette was because we did lots of research. We know that Paris Baguette is very supportive of their franchisees. It’s not like you sign the agreement and then are on your own. It’s a good brand and franchise to help get us into the industry and allow us to build and learn.

Zhu: In terms of the demographics, we knew the product was the right fit. It fills a gap in the community. But we’re also very passionate about our community, and we think Paris Baguette will bring unique products and experiences to our community.

Yan: I’m a foodie. I knew I wanted something more delicate and high quality, and I want to bring something to my local community that I would like. For every family birthday, I either bake a cake at home or get a cake from Paris Baguette, and this is a brand that I want to introduce to my neighborhood.

Zhu: We plan to assess every six to ten months, but I see us being able to have many more Paris Baguette bakery cafés in Pennsylvania.

Zhu: I have lived and worked in different continents. I grew up in China, went to South Africa when I was 12. My family had businesses there, so I lived in different parts of South Africa for 20 years. Then, I went back to Asia. I worked in China for three years and Hong Kong for another three. Then, I came to the U.S. with my wife, who has also lived and worked in different countries, including Australia and Malaysia. We enjoy being in the U.S. and seeing so much, and we look forward to contributing to the local communities.

Vicky’s and my decision to start Paris Baguette happened within about five minutes. We had gone to a casual dinner with Vicky and her husband, and she mentioned Paris Baguette. She had come to the conclusion that it was a good choice, and the day before we went to their house for dinner, I had actually picked up a cake for my daughter at Paris Baguette. I thought it was a really good fit for Newton Square, and we were both at the right stage — ready to start.

Yan: My life has been relatively smooth. I grew up in China and came to the U.S. around 2010 for college and graduate school. My husband is working on his own startup now, but we have different interests. Kai and I have very similar business ideas, and everything was the right timing. We are still young and have energy, but we have both collected the right skills and credentials to succeed. Also, we have both experienced the brand as guests, and that makes us even more confident in our choice.

Zhu: Paris Baguette is a very relationship- and family-based business. If you’re someone who enjoys people to people interactions and wants to be a part of the community, Paris Baguette is the right fit for you. It’s not just about buying a franchise and opening the business. It’s about the guests and people.

Yan: Make sure you’re financially ready. Think about if it’s a good fit for your time, experience, family and needs. Everything has to work together.

I would also recommend having a business partner to work together with. That gives a more comprehensive view of every decision we are making.

Paris Baguette is a bakery café franchise with more than 4,000 units across the globe. The global brand first franchised in the U.S.

in 2015 and has since established over 160 locations in markets across the country, making it one of the premier franchise opportunities in its category. Paris Baguette’s primary mission, executed every day by its expert staff of bakers, cakers and baristas, is to share moments of joy with guests and help guests share moments of joy with their friends and family by providing world-class cakes, pastries, coffees, breads and other French-inspired bakery café fare.