Paris Baguette Continues To Dominate the Bakery Franchise Industry; Inks Nearly 72 New Deals Since Start of 2022

Paris Baguette, the bakery café concept with 4,000 units worldwide, has seen significant growth in the first half of 2022. After a strong first half of the year, with a total of 72 new franchise agreements signed, July is shaping to be another significant month with upwards of 15 additional signings.

“There’s a tremendous amount of opportunity in the bakery café space,” explained Mark Mele, chief development officer. “No one else is doing what we are on the same scale, and that’s attracting a lot of attention. It’s a really exciting time for us as we continue seeing growth through franchise expansion and year-over-year revenue numbers.”

Moving forward, the brand continues to eye the 1,000 unit mark within the states by 2030, and it has recently broken into Minnesota, Maryland and Florida markets. Signing units in Hawaii, Florida and Tennessee are expected to come later this month, with targets of opening 25 cafes by the end of August.

Franchise growth plans

As it continues to grow, Mele explained that Paris Baguette seeks passionate franchisees interested in serving people in a welcoming neighborhood establishment.

“We want someone who is going to take the time to be present in their store and be caring with the staff so that everyone understands the most important person is the guest,” he added.

Though the bakery market as a whole has become a nearly $12 billion segment, Paris Baguette continues to fill the void for high-quality, freshly made foods. Unlike many bakery franchise concepts, which have shifted to soups, salads, and pre-made bakery items, Paris Baguette continues to offer a wide range of products produced in the café daily.

For franchisees looking to enter the bakery café space, the brand provides exceptional support without straying from its roots as a true bakery concept.

Target markets and goals

Paris Baguette is targeting several markets in 2022 and aims to sign 150 franchise agreements and open 56 units. Mele said target markets for the coming year include Washington, California, Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Maryland. He added that the brand will continue its development in New Jersey and New York and expand in some additional states in New England, including Connecticut and Massachusetts.

“We are on track to enter three new markets and open a total of 56 units by the end of 2022,” said TJ Rogers, franchise sales manager. “Even throughout the pandemic, we did not shy away from opening additional units and exploring new markets. With great year-over-year revenue increases — a 42% jump from last year — and a persistent interest in the brand from franchisees and consumers alike, we expect nothing but a strong continued growth trajectory for the brand.”

With 72 freshly signed deals and over 40% year-over-year growth, Paris Baguette is poised to meet, if not exceed, its goal of 56 units opened in 2022, expanding to Florida, Hawaii, Maryland and more.