Andrew Yoo's Passion for Paris Baguette Franchise Fuels Rapid Expansion Across California

Andrew Yoo is no stranger to the restaurant franchise industry, but his decision to go into business with Paris Baguette* came from a place more personal than mere financial opportunity. “[M]ainstream America loves Paris Baguette, and I think that was a big thing, basically, for me,” Yoo said. “I saw the potential and how the food just brings a smile to people's faces.”

With this level of passion for the brand, it should come as no surprise that Yoo has been spearheading the neighborhood bakery café's expansion in California. Yoo opened his first Paris Baguette in Irvine in 2017 and has since opened additional locations in Cupertino, Milpitas, Chino Hills and Fullerton. His expansion plans have come full circle as he currently has a new cafés under construction in Irvine.

For Yoo, customer service is paramount and he feels that great guest experiences are built one step at a time, often in ways that might not be immediately apparent. “As management, we're trying to make our employees happy so they treat the customers right,” Yoo said, “and then we try to offer the best service and the best quality food ... That's our goal and, sometimes, it's very hard to achieve that, but we try.”

1851 Franchise spoke with Yoo about his franchise journey with Paris Baguette and his plans for the future.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Yoo: Ever since I graduated, I’ve been involved in franchising food businesses. I went to the University of Southern California and then, after graduating, I started a franchised food business. I got into a sandwich shop, a cookie shop, a teriyaki shop, an ice cream shop — so I have been involved in franchised food business for all of my life. 

My parents were always in business, so I wanted to get into business early and I was a business major — actually, I was a finance major. I thought that the corporate ladder would’ve been a little bit higher to climb if I got into that, but [with] franchising, you basically decide your own fate. In franchising, success can be decided by your decision and your work ethic — not anybody else.

I went to Paris Baguette and tasted some of the items and fell in love. We called the corporate office and basically that's how things got started.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Yoo: In franchising, a lot of things are guided for you. But the thing is, you pretty much decide your own pace by how hard you work and think and how you implement your thoughts into your actions. You have to decide to get into the right franchise, but your fate is decided by how hard you work.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Yoo: People love Paris Baguette, first of all, and it wasn’t really well known before. It was a very Asian-based concept obviously because it came from Korea. Now, mainstream America loves Paris Baguette. When we mention Paris Baguette to anybody, it brings excitement and smiles.

Also, the average volume is very, very high. I mean, it’s probably one of the highest AUVs [average unit volumes] out there for a fast-casual restaurant, so I think that was one of the big factors.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Yoo: We’re trying to open as many units as possible without losing that touch because, obviously, anybody could open a lot. But the thing is that you really have to manage it right. I feel like I’m putting my face on the door there. We want to grow as much as possible with this brand without losing control. Maybe 50 or more if the territories are not all sold?

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Yoo: One thing we want people to know is that we try our best to serve the customers, even [in ways that] might not show. As management, we’re trying to make our employees happy so they treat the customers right, and then we try to offer the best service and the best quality food to our customers. That’s our goal and, sometimes, it’s very hard to achieve that, but I hope people feel that when we come to our stores.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Yoo: I guess you just have to do a lot of due diligence. I mean, obviously [the brand] has to be right for somebody. It’s like in sports — you can go to this one team and you suck, then you go to another team and you can be a star there. We have a lot of menu items, so it can be hard trying to operate up to an optimal level. I think people need to do their due diligence and make sure this is the right thing. And if they feel it is, they should just go for it.

ABOUT PARIS BAGUETTE: 

Paris Baguette is a bakery café franchise with more than 4,000 units across the globe. The global brand first franchised in the U.S. in 2015 and has since established over 160 locations in markets across the country, making them one of the premier franchise opportunities in their category. Paris Baguette’s primary mission, executed every day by their expert staff of bakers, cakers and baristas, is to provide guests with a warm, welcoming bakery café experience that creates joy for all. To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://ownaparisbaguette.com/.