Paris Baguette Canada’s CEO Jack Moran on the Brand’s Ambitious Expansion Plans

Burgers. Chicken. Pizza. Burritos. Juice. If you’re looking for a food service franchise to invest in, it’s hard to find a segment that isn’t already jam-packed with options. 

According to Jack Moran, CEO of Paris Baguette Canada, the 4,000-plus-unit-strong global bakery café franchise, all these sectors are a part of the “red ocean” of franchising. 

“It’s red because that’s where all the other competitions are tearing each other apart,” he said. “They’re overcrowded, fragmented and hyper-competitive. They’re fighting for customers and market share.”

Paris Baguette Canada, however, is different, Moran says.

The brand represents the expansive “blue ocean” of franchising, where there’s still plenty of space to grow and no competition as it brings back the spirit and quality of an old-fashioned neighborhood bakery. Moran thinks now is the perfect time for the brand to make some waves with Canadian franchisees. He thinks the brand can open 100 stores in the country in the next 10 years. 

A Unique Franchise Opportunity in a Sea of Sameness

The little bakery on the corner, once such a central part of any Canadian neighborhood, has gone extinct.

As a neighborhood bakery café, Paris Baguette already “occupies a space in the customer's mind,” Moran said. According to Moran, the Walmarts of the world have long-since chased the mom-and-pop corner bakery away. “We’re bringing the bakery back to the heart of the community,” he said.

From buttery croissants to stunning layer cakes, Moran says this made-on-premise difference is Paris Baguette’s point of differentiation. 

“Look at Panera Bread,” Moran says. “Their name means bread, but baked goods make up only a small share of their menu. Today, they’re a place for soups, sandwiches, catering and delivery.”

Moran said the main reason big names gave up on bakery items is simple: “Baking is hard to get right,” he said. “Even a place with the resources of Starbucks tried it and couldn’t do it. The truth is it takes time, commitment and passion to get it right.”

Crafting From Scratch With Proven Recipes for Success

In addition to bread and French patisserie, Paris Baguette is the go-to cake maker for the community. And that’s a profitable business. “In the United States, on a Saturday, a high-performing store may sell north of 200 cakes at $40 each,” Moran said. “So yes, there’s a huge revenue stream.”

That return on investment comes from Paris Baguette-trained bakers and cakers. While the front of the house is staffed by minimum wage part time workers, the bakers and cakers help define the quality Paris Baguette is known for. And that’s a bonus for when labor is tight. 

“These are skilled people who are looking for a meaningful role,” he said. “They are not people who you train and they disappear when school starts in two months. They’re proud, skilled craftspeople who find the work stimulating and rewarding.”

And with 33 years of operational expertise, Paris Baguette has a fully developed store operating system and process. “We have the systems, processes, expertise and muscle to open strong and become successful,” he said. “The brand is already well-known.”

Another advantage that the brand brings to Canada: a vertically integrated supply chain. “We manufacture our own products that are sold to franchises,” he said. “You don’t have to mix the batter. It takes risk out of quality control.”

A Passion-Driven, Community-Centered Business

It’s that passion that drives Paris Baguette, Moran said. A longtime fan of France and French food, he fell in love with café culture while working in Europe. It was a Paris Baguette in Seoul, South Korea, however, that really captured Moran’s attention.

Moran was on a business trip and looking for a Starbucks in the Gangnam neighborhood but came across a Paris Baguette instead. “I had never seen one before, but I could look through the window and see these bakers in big French chef hats baking live and became captivated. Then I walked in and that aroma hit me and transported me back to Paris. When I tried the croissant, it was flaky, buttery and everything I wanted it to be.”

Later, on a trip to Shanghai, he encountered a Paris Baguette and a light bulb went off in his head. “It made me realize that you could scale high quality food,” he said. He began to wonder: Why is there no Paris Baguette in Canada?

When he became CEO, he understood the key to this franchise's worldwide success. It was the strong bond between franchise owners and their community.

“We want Paris Baguette owners to be the center of the community and be a part of the energy a community provides,” Moran said. “Paris Baguettes are run by friends and family members. They sponsor the local little league teams. They make a cake for the little girl down the street who’s turning six. They provide moments of joy to the community.

Wanted: Franchisees Who Bring Joy to Their Community

Moran said the brand decided to launch in greater Toronto because it’s the cultural and media capital of Canada. “We wanted to get the biggest bang for our buck in terms of visibility,” he said. “If we find the right partner, we can simultaneously open in other markets, like Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal.”

While the Paris Baguette franchise will be new to Canada, many Canadians are not new to the brand. Because the brand originated overseas, many new Canadians or children of immigrants have a sense of and relationship with this brand. It’s not just another shop.

But that takes a special kind of franchisee to make that community connection happen.

A successful franchisee is someone with a great work ethic, who has money to invest in a business, and wants to grow lasting wealth for their family, Moran said. “But they are also people who want to get out from behind their computer monitor,” he said. “They want to be a part of the fabric of people's daily lives.” 

Why Now Is the Time To Join Paris Baguette

Since Canada remains virgin territory for the brand, there will never be a better time for franchisees to join. “And right now you can have your pick of the best territories, or the territories that work best for you.”

Moran also points out that there are opportunities to stake a claim as a multi-unit operator, which he says allows you to leverage your capital to open a second or third store, which creates the platform for your business to become far more profitable over time.

“If you do this 10 years from now, you won’t get your pick of prime real estate,” he said. “You get in now when the opportunity is the strongest.”

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