Meet the Real Estate Team Fueling Paris Baguette's Canadian Growth

As the global bakery café brand Paris Baguette readies itself for expansion in Canada and prepares to open its first location in Toronto, the franchise is relying on a team of real estate experts to help the brand find its footing in new markets.

Geoffrey Smith, director of retail and corporate at CBRE Limited in Toronto, is heading the partnership to fuel Paris Baguette’s growth in Canada. The first Toronto location is a corporate store opening in a high-end shopping district, a space that was secured with help from CBRE Limited. Currently, the grand opening is slated for August 2022. 

“Geoffrey and his team are ‘Real Canadians,’” said Jack Moran, chief executive officer of Paris Baguette Canada, who has been working with the CBRE team. “It’s been a joy to work with them because they know what the brand needs with real estate and how to work the market. We already have letters of intent in Vaughn in NW Toronto, in Newmarket, seven franchise deals in 2022 in GTA.”

The process between Paris Baguette and CBRE Limited is nothing new to the brand. The pathway taken to opening a Toronto location is similar to that of the process followed in the U.S., and will be mimicked with other Canadian locations as well. 

CBRE Is Helping Paris Baguette Secure Visible Locations

Smith and the team at CBRE represent tenants and retailers, helping them to find spaces that will help them grow and expand their customer base. CBRE and Paris Baguette have been working together for a year, evaluating the market as well as the potential for the brand’s growth throughout Canada. 

“We’ve discussed [with Moran] how we want to approach the expansion and we’ve been sourcing those initial batches of locations,” said Smith. “Over the next several years, we expect to expand the Paris Baguette brand in Vancouver and Montreal, with corporate and franchised locations. We’ll also be establishing additional locations in Toronto over the next couple of years.”

The first Greater Toronto Area Paris Baguette location is at 110 Bloor Street W in Midtown Toronto and surrounded by shopping and flagship stores. And with 40% of Canada’s population residing in southwestern Ontario, growth is the only expected result of establishing the brand in the Toronto area.

“The area is a mixed-use community,” explained Smith. “It’s a central hub for Toronto’s midtown.”

The store is a great spot for Paris Baguette because of the foot traffic it garners, and the brand will complement other stores in the community. The goal of the brand is to capture pedestrian traffic with Paris Baguette locations near retail tenants and grocery stores. Additionally, Smith said the team is currently in negotiations for at least two more Paris Baguette locations around Greater Toronto Area suburban communities.

“We’re very excited about the brand and working with Moran has been a pleasure,” said Smith. “The Paris Baguette folks have been great to work with, and they’re lining themselves up to have tremendous success.”

For more information about franchising with Paris Baguette Canada, please visit: https://canada.parisbaguettefamily.com/