Paris Baguette Maps Out Canada Expansion, Targets Suburban Markets for New Franchise Locations

Paris Baguette, the fast-growing bakery café franchise, is opening the first of a planned 100 locations throughout Canada this summer. That location will open in Toronto in August, and the franchise has plans to rapidly expand in markets across the country after that. To achieve that ambitious growth goal, Paris Baguette is targeting suburban locations, where its United States’ counterparts have seen increasing popularity in recent years.

“In the U.S., sales exploded at suburban locations during COVID,” said Paris Baguette Canada CEO Jack Moran. “For example, the Edison, New Jersey location’s sales increased by 30% when the pandemic hit because people still sought out cakes, baked treats and breads that are unique. It’s a sweet spot — not urban environments with high foot traffic but suburbs where people live, work, drive and take their kids to school. In Canada, where the brand plans to make its introduction in 2022, there’s a lot of potential in communities like that.”

As more people move out of the downtown core of Canadian cities and into what Moran calls “exurban markets,” sending franchise locations to the suburbs will likely prove a savvy strategy.

“Not all brands are made to go into those markets, but Paris Baguette can transcend the various communities in the greater Toronto area and elsewhere,” said Geoffrey Smith, Director, Retail & Corporate at CBRE Limited out of Toronto.

These exurban markets appear to be growing in popularity, and Paris Baguette’s vision to re-establish its bakery café concept as the heart of its communities could pay off as the brand looks to grow and expand in Canada. 

Prospective Paris Baguette franchisees in Toronto have a potentially rare and lucrative opportunity in front of them. A Ryerson University Centre for Urban Research and Land Development blog found that for the last few years, Toronto ranked among the top of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. and Canada. The city was the fastest-growing central city in 2018 and 2019, and was one of four Canadian central cities on the top 10 list for population growth in 2020.

According to Moran, ideal franchisees for Paris Baguette are those who understand the bakery business and the work that goes into running a successful bakery café, and also see the opportunity for growth with the brand.

The total investment to franchise with Paris Baguette ranges from $378,270 and $1,638,554, including a $50,00 franchise fee. For more information, please visit: https://www.parisbaguette.com/franchising/