What Qualities Are Needed to Be a Franchisee With Paris Baguette Canada

Paris Baguette, the global bakery café franchise brand that already has more than 4,000 units across the world, has big plans for Canada and is currently in the process of talking to franchise candidates to open more stores there.

The pastry and cakes purveyor plans to open a Canadian store in 2022 in Toronto. This will mark the first of 100 locations it intends to open across the country by the end of the decade.

The brand enjoys international brand recognition with bakery cafés dotting the globe in major cities like New York, Paris, Seoul and Singapore. There’s built-in brand recognition and a dedicated customer base of people who have experienced its offerings.

In the United States, Paris Baguette has been growing quickly. It currently has 90 locations there, opening 15 units in 2020 when restaurants were slowing growth and closing sites. This year, the bakery café is continuing its American momentum: it already signed 67 new franchise agreements between January and June of 2021, with plans to open 100 locations by the end of the year.

Canadian investors have been excited about the possibility of opening a bakery café here. Paris Baguette is looking for entrepreneurs who are passionate about the brand while taking advantage of an attractive and lucrative business model. 

Who Is the Ideal Franchisee for Paris Baguette Canada?

Because so many people are already familiar with the brand from traveling or living in other countries, Paris Baguette usually attracts pre-existing fans as franchise investors.

“We have high pent-up demand for the brand from expatriates living in particular in the Greater Toronto Area,” explained Jack Moran, the CEO of Paris Baguette Canada. “Paris Baguette was a fixture in their lives before they moved to Canada, and they now want to share the brand with their new country.”

In addition to first-generation and new Canadians, Moran says the brand attracts people who understand the bakery business and the hard work and commitment that goes into building a successful operation. These franchise candidates recognize the gap in the bakery marketplace and understand the opportunities it presents for business. 

Franchise candidates are also often well-funded multi-unit operators familiar with restaurant operations. For instance, in the United States, Cincinnati-based Ai Lin already owns an independent and highly successful Chinese restaurant, as well as a Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ franchise. 

Lin had discovered the brand in New York — it was a frequent stop on trips to the city — so she jumped at the opportunity to open in her hometown. “Paris Baguette is truly focused on how to expand into different markets across the country,” she said. “And I want to be part of that growth.”

As Paris Baguette continues its conversations with candidates from the GTA, as well as across Canada, one thing is certain: This is a brand that has a big future in this country. 

The total investment to franchise with Paris Baguette Canada ranges from $659,193 to $1,336,292, including a $50,000 franchise fee. If you enter into an area development agreement, you must develop a minimum of four stores. For more information on franchising with Paris Baguette, please visit https://canada.parisbaguettefamily.com/