Paris Baguette

Mark Mele joined the global bakery café concept Paris Baguette as Chief Development Officer in 2020 to further its franchise development efforts. Using a combination of support for franchisees, new store prototypes and a mission to bring back the neighborhood bakery café, Paris Baguette is poised for growth to meet its goal of opening 1,000 units by the year 2030.<h4>1851 Franchise: What is Paris Baguette doing well right now?&nbsp;</h4><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmele/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-qa-with-mark-mele-chief-development-officer-for-paris-baguette-2717720" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mark Mele</a>: There are three things we’re doing well right now.One thing we are doing really well right now is following up with prospective franchisees. We’re especially good at it, actually. We’re following up with them and properly vetting all prospective franchisees in our pipeline to ensure that they’re not only a good fit for us, but to make sure we are a good fit for them. We’re doing the due diligence to pre-qualify candidates and determine whether a partnership with a franchisee makes sense.&nbsp;Another thing we are excelling at right now is offering support to new franchisees. Once the franchise agreement is executed, we’re supporting new franchisees with a new store development manager. This position is key from a support angle. From the day the franchise agreement is signed to the day of a new location’s opening, the new store development manager is spending a great deal of time with franchisees to make sure everything is running smoothly and that the franchisee and their team is set up for success.&nbsp;The third thing we are doing well right now is working through the real estate process and construction process. We want to make sure that our new stores are in a flagship-type location. Meaning, we want new stores to be in a lifestyle center that has heavy retail, grocery stores and is populated with foot traffic and pedestrians. As far as construction, we’ve really changed our approach from an architectural standpoint. We’re building a 3.0 prototype that we are working on now. All of our new stores are being developed with the new prototype and we’ve established a list of preferred vendors including architects, general contractors and project management companies, all of which oversee new construction for Paris Baguette.<h4>1851: What would you say stands out as differentiators for the brand?</h4>Mele: Part of what makes Paris Baguette stand out as a brand is that we’re one of the few bakery café brands left in the industry. If you’re looking for a bakery in your town, and think “I want to be a franchisee because I trust the franchise models,” there aren’t many choices on what you can open. A lot of brands that were bakeries over the years have sort of strayed from that path, and whereas we’re staying true to being strictly a bakery. Our roots are deep in being a baking company, and we’re really good at it. We’re also good at operating a bakery café, and we’re especially good at franchising. It’s appealing to prospects that want support from a franchise system as well as a great bakery café.&nbsp;<h4>1851: Looking to the future of Paris Baguette, what are your growth goals for 2022?</h4>Mele: In the coming year we have set a goal to sign 150 franchise agreements and open 56 units. Overall, we have a 10-year goal to open 1,000 units in the U.S. We’re targeting several markets across the country, including 24 states while expanding upon current developments in 4 U.S. states.<h4>1851: What is your vision that you want Paris Baguette to fulfill?</h4>Mele: We want the brand to reestablish the neighborhood bakery café in every community. There’s so much joy to be had in having the opportunity to visit a neighborhood bakery café that offers expertly crafted baked and brewed goods to guests. We want our guests to be able to understand our values and the idea that our brand is really about spreading joy.&nbsp;<h4>1851: What were some learning opportunities found during the pandemic that the brand has since leveraged to get where it is now?</h4>Mele: The pandemic taught us a lot of things. We were so focused on what to do the right way, and by the guidelines, but at the end of the day, it was all about the guests. Think about it, you’re in a retail restaurant and you’re serving fresh baked goods to people who are all taking in different information. These customers are walking into our bakery cafés, and no matter how they personally feel about the pandemic, you want to present food in a way that makes them feel comfortable.&nbsp;The pandemic helped us to better present our fresh baked goods to our guests. We also got better at how we should package our products in a way that allowed customers to continue perceiving our services as a source of joy. Customers were coming in during the pandemic because they craved our fresh baked products, so we had to make sure the service and delivery was right, and that it was presented the right way so that we could continue to impress our guests.<h4>1851: What were the influencing factors that encouraged you to join the Paris Baguette team?</h4>Mele: There were three reasons why I chose to join Paris Baguette. The first reason was that I felt like the position of the company was aligned with my experience. What they needed was what I could provide them with.Second, the brand’s dedicated to high-quality attracted me.&nbsp;Third, the development mission of Paris Baguette was a big factor. They set a goal to open 1,000 bakery cafés in 10 years, and that was a mission I could buy into, for my future, and the future of the brand.<h4>1851: What does the ideal franchisee look like for Paris Baguette in 2022?&nbsp;</h4>Mele: The ideal franchisee candidate for Paris Baguette in 2022 looks like someone who is passionate about the Paris Baguette brand, and could get excited about serving people in their own establishment. We want to work with someone who is going to take the time to learn our process and model and be caring with their staff everyday so that the staff understands the most important person is the guest and how the guest perceives us when they come in to visit us.&nbsp;Our team is looking for someone who is a people person, a high-quality individual who has a business skill set and the financial wherewithal to invest in the business and to keep it afloat in good times and in bad times. We also look for candidates who have a prior business background with success in operating a successful business in the past. We prefer someone who has restaurant or bakery experience, but if not exactly that then we like a business background that is similar.&nbsp;As far as a franchisee’s approach to being a hands-on owner, we definitely want people who are active in their business. While they can hire a general manager to be running the bakery café, especially if they own multiple units, we want them to be able to visit their locations and be involved every day. The most important step in being a franchisee is being engaged in the business. You want the proper general manager running things while you’re still engaged and have your finger on the pulse of the business.<h4>1851: Can you share the ways Paris Baguette supports franchisees that people may not know of?</h4>Mele: We have regular, scheduled visits to cafés for quality control. These audits help us ensure that guests are perceiving us the way we want and that our mission of bringing joy back to the community through a neighborhood bakery café is being met. Additionally, we offer regular training inside the bakery cafés as well as outside the bakery cafés at our HQ, or a regional Paris Baguette facility. We also have annual business meetings to support our franchisees. We have a franchise advisory council that is there to support our franchisees. Lastly, local and regional marketing funds are provided to help franchisees share the concept with potential customers.The total investment to franchise with Paris Baguette ranges from $528,270 and $1,638,554, including a $50,000 franchise fee. For more information, please visit: <a href="https://parisbaguette.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-qa-with-mark-mele-chief-development-officer-for-paris-baguette-2717720" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://parisbaguette.com/franchising/</a>

A Q&A with Mark Mele, Chief Development Officer for Paris Baguette

1851 Franchise

After a successful 2021, Mele looks toward future development of the brand as they aim to open 1,000 units in the U.S. by the year 2030.

This brand page has been paid for by PARIS BAGUETTE. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

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Paris Baguette to Attend Multi-Unit Franchising Conference 2026 Following Record-Breaking Year of Expansion

Paris Baguette Hits Record 77 Café Openings in 2025, Prepares for 400th North American Location

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MOONACHIE, N.J.&nbsp;— Following a year of remarkable growth in 2025, including 77 new cafés opened and nearly 300 more awarded,&nbsp;<a href="https://ownaparisbaguette.com/">Paris Baguette</a>, the global franchise with over 290 cafés across the U.S., will attend the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.multiunitfranchisingconference.com/">Multi-Unit Franchising Conference</a> March 24-27. As they continue to grow,&nbsp;<a href="http://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette/info">Paris Baguette</a> has remained committed to upholding the highest standards throughout the system, from initial franchisee onboarding to the in-café guest experience. MUFC represents another key opportunity for the brand to continue this growth and collaboration.“As a growing brand, it’s essential that we remain connected throughout our system and with other leaders in the industry,” said CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-tipton-0526324">Darren Tipton</a>. “MUFC gives us an opportunity to continue building on our momentum, nurture collaboration both among our teams and with the broader multi-unit community, and highlight Paris Baguette as a leader in the industry and a prime opportunity for skilled multi-unit owners looking to grow their portfolios.”Over the course of the conference, Paris Baguette owners and leadership will have opportunities to hear from experts, gain new perspectives and weigh in on key topics for multi-unit franchisees. Topics include the guest experience, the meaning of value and service for today’s employees and consumers, financing for growth, and operations and profitability strategies.For Paris Baguette, which has emphasized franchisee engagement, support, and alignment as they grow, these conversations, workshops, and networking opportunities are another way to support healthy, long-term growth.“The people behind Paris Baguette are what make us who we are,” Tipton said. “Continuing to emphasize that personal aspect and leaning into a franchise-first model that recognizes the value of a clear, cohesive culture and a supported, satisfied franchisee base will be a key factor in our ongoing success.”In addition to strategic alignment across multiple levels of the Paris Baguette franchise system, Paris Baguette will also be hosting a booth at #2125 and #2123 to showcase their model, growth opportunities for prospective franchise owners, and hand out free samples.&nbsp;With strong momentum across North America and a format built for growth, Paris Baguette continues to stand out for entrepreneurs seeking a bakery café brand with both scale and neighborhood appeal.The Paris Baguette team will be available to discuss their industry-leading support, elevated café design, and growth opportunities across the country.For more information, visit the Paris Baguette team at Booth&nbsp;#2125 and #2123 or email kkeith@parisbaguette.com to schedule a meeting.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 290 locations in markets across North America, 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&nbsp;<a href="https://ownaparisbaguette.com/.">https://ownaparisbaguette.com/.</a>&nbsp;

image of paris baguette attending mufc 2026

After opening 77 cafés and awarding nearly 300 more in 2025, the global bakery café franchise will connect with high-growth multi-unit owners and drive innovation and alignment throughout the system.

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Paris Baguette Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2026

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How Paris Baguette’s ‘Love Baked In’ Culture Nourishes Communities

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Cake, Reimagined: How Paris Baguette Is Winning Gen Z With Slices Made for the Feed, Not Just the Fork

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<a href="https://ownaparisbaguette.com/">Paris Baguette</a> is entering the nontraditional franchise space with a bakery café scheduled to open in Q2 at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). The airport debut marks the brand’s first location of this kind and comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette/info">Paris Baguette</a> grows to more than 10 neighborhood bakery cafés in the Greater Philadelphia area,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2026/04/07/paris-baguette-opening-300th-shop-phl.html">according to the Philadelphia Business Journal</a>.As the brand’s 300th location across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the airport bakery café represents a significant milestone on Paris Baguette’s flight to having 1,000 bakery cafés open in North America by 2030.The new location will debut in Terminal C and is part of the airport’s initiative to bring in local brands for “Founded in Philly,” providing a taste of the city to travelers.This launch into the airport channel provides new opportunities for potential franchisees. With a constant flow of travelers moving through the airport each day, combined with long wait times and the convenience factor, the location offers strong potential for long-term growth. Paris Baguette offers a new taste of quality and freshness to travelers as just one of nine food and beverage options within Terminal C.Opening in venues like airports offers new franchisees a great chance to own their own business with the potential for lower barriers to entry. These&nbsp;<a href="https://www.franchising.com/guides/nontraditional_locations.html">opportunities can include</a> reduced franchise fees, lower startup costs, less expensive real estate, smaller staffing requirements, and the ability to operate with less day-to-day involvement. It gives entrepreneurs another path to business ownership in a nontraditional setting.The new bakery café follows a period of turnover at the airport, where Starbucks and Balducci’s Market closed their Terminal C locations, along with a Chick-fil-A in the food court between Terminals B and C.The PHL opening gives Paris Baguette a way to gauge demand in a high-traffic venue and bring its bakery café experience to airport travelers. The brand is also growing across Greater Philadelphia, with 18 additional markets in the region under development.Read the full article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2026/04/07/paris-baguette-opening-300th-shop-phl.html">here</a>.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://ownaparisbaguette.com">https://ownaparisbaguette.com</a> or&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette">https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette</a>.

Paris Baguette recently opened the brand's first airport location.

As the brand works toward 1,000 North American bakery cafés, a new location at PHL introduces Paris Baguette to travelers from across the continent.

Philadelphia Business Journal: PHL Lands Paris Baguette’s First Airport Location Amid Philadelphia-Area Expansion

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MOONACHIE, N.J.&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a href="https://ownaparisbaguette.com/">Paris Baguette</a>, a top-ranked global bakery café franchise and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/directory/paris-baguette/335793">#1 bakery café in the 2026 Entrepreneur Franchise 500®</a>, continued its strong growth trajectory in the first quarter of 2026, building momentum across the US and Canada through new openings, accelerated development activity and sustained guest demand.The brand has achieved six consecutive years of positive comparable sales and traffic growth, underscoring sustained guest demand and long-term system strength. In the first quarter of 2026, Paris Baguette delivered 31.21% year-over-year total sales growth, reinforcing strong systemwide performance.With more than 300 cafés operating across 29+ states and approximately 600 in active development, Paris Baguette is advancing toward and beyond its goal of 1,000 North American locations. Further demonstrating the strength of its model, the brand reports average unit volumes exceeding $3 million across its cafés (according to the brand’s 2026 FDD).This strong foundation is driving continued development momentum, including a 20% year-over-year increase in café openings and a 33% increase in lease signings compared to Q1 2025.Growth during the first quarter included the opening of a new Canadian café at Hillcrest Mall in Ontario, entry into Minnesota with its Hudson Road location and expansion into Jacksonville, Florida, where Paris Baguette received strong community responses in each new market. The brand also signed agreements supporting significant expansion across South Florida and Texas, while introducing Paris Baguette to Arkansas.Supporting its long-term growth strategy, Paris Baguette also broke ground on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crbgroup.com/news/je-dunn-construction-crb-break-ground-on-first-paris-baguette-manufacturing-facility-in-u-s?utm_source=chatgpt.com">first North American manufacturing facility in Burleson, Texas</a>, a strategic investment designed to enhance operational efficiency and support the brand’s expanding footprint.The brand’s momentum continues to earn national recognition, including a No. 29 ranking on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500?type=multisearch&amp;data1=randomize:false,rankId:f500&amp;sort=f500&amp;sortMethod=global&amp;globalLimit=25">Entrepreneur’s 2026 Franchise 500®</a>, a No. 1 ranking in the bakery café category, and inclusion on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prweb.com/releases/paris-baguette-ranked-no-112-in-2025-technomic-top-500-chain-restaurants-report-climbing-over-20-spots-from-prior-year-302548964.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurants Report</a> and 2026 Fast Casual Movers and Shakers ranking.“Our early growth in 2026 reflects both the strength of the Paris Baguette model and the continued demand for the neighborhood bakery café experience,” said CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-tipton-0526324">Darren Tipton</a>. “We’re seeing strong momentum across new and existing markets, and we believe that positions us well for continued expansion throughout the year.”Looking ahead, Paris Baguette is continuing to scale globally while expanding its North American footprint, including development efforts in Mexico and targeted growth across Canada, with a focus on Québec, Ottawa, Montreal, British Columbia and Winnipeg. The brand expects to open more than 100 additional cafés in 2026, including its first drive-thru location, while entering 10 new markets.“We’ve kicked off 2026 with strong performance and recognition, and we’re not slowing down,” Tipton added. “We remain focused on delivering for our guests, supporting our franchisees and growing thoughtfully in the communities we serve.”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 300 locations in markets across North America, 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&nbsp;<a href="https://ownaparisbaguette.com/">https://ownaparisbaguette.com/</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The bakery café franchise continued their growth in Q1, driving development activity, expanding to new markets, and surpassing six consecutive years of positive comparable sales and traffic growth.

Paris Baguette Builds Q1 2026 Momentum With Year Over Year Growth, and Continued Expansion Across North America

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<a href="http://ownaparisbaguette.com">Paris Baguette</a>, the bakery café franchise brand with more than 4,000 units, is continuing their growth in Georgia with a new Atlanta-area café projected to open this July. Located at 4119 Lake Street in Alpharetta, the café will serve a wide variety of freshly baked breads and pastries, handcrafted beverages, and expertly made and decorated cakes. The Alpharetta café will be the second for franchisee Layne Alkaasamani, a pastry chef turned business owner who was drawn to&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette/info">Paris Baguette</a> because of their culture.“What made it stand out for me was the culture. I really like the corner bakery feeling,” Alkaasamani told&nbsp;<a href="https://whatnow.com/atlanta/restaurants/paris-baguette-bringing-new-location-to-alpharetta-this-summer/">WhatNowAtlanta</a>. “It’s such a well-made franchise. We still have baked goods every morning. Even though it’s a franchise, it doesn’t have a franchise feel. We always try to give you that feeling of just a small corner bakery in your community.”As she continues to grow with the brand and bring the neighborhood bakery café experience to her community, Alkaasamani hopes to open two to three additional Georgia cafés.Read the full article&nbsp;<a href="https://whatnow.com/atlanta/restaurants/paris-baguette-bringing-new-location-to-alpharetta-this-summer/">here</a>.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://ownaparisbaguette.com">https://ownaparisbaguette.com</a> or&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette.">https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette.</a>&nbsp;

Photo of interior of Paris Baguette bakery cafe

The global bakery café franchise, which currently has nine cafés in Georgia, plans to open another in the Atlanta area with Layne Alkaasamani, who also operates the Kennesaw café.

WhatNowAtlanta: Paris Baguette Bringing New Location to Alpharetta This Summer

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PHILADELPHIA&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a href="http://ownaparisbaguette.com">Paris Baguette</a> is celebrating a dual milestone in their North American expansion journey with the opening of their 300th U.S. café, which also serves as their first-ever U.S. airport café. Now open in Terminal C at the Philadelphia International Airport, the landmark café represents a defining moment in&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette/info">Paris Baguette</a>’s strategy to bring the neighborhood bakery café experience to high-traffic, nontraditional venues.&nbsp;The 300th U.S. café opening follows a year of incredible growth in which the brand opened 77 new cafés and awarded another 300 agreements for future development. Currently, Paris Baguette has over 600 total cafés in various stages of development, and momentum is only building, keeping them firmly on track to reach 1,000 U.S. cafés by 2030.“The opening of our 300th U.S. café at the Philadelphia International Airport is a testament to the incredible scalability and appeal of the Paris Baguette brand,” said CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-tipton-0526324/">Darren Tipton</a>. “Expanding our footprint is exciting, but this is also a strategic milestone. By entering the airport space, we’re proving that the high-quality, artisan bakery experience can thrive in diverse environments, opening the door to serve a high volume of global travelers and entering a new phase of growth that includes expansion in nontraditional hubs.”The Philadelphia International Airport café will be operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://onsiteretailers.com/">Onsite Retailers</a>, the airport concessions company owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/terri-roberts-0b8931179/">Terri</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-roberts-87a35730/">Sandy Roberts</a>. The couple brings extensive experience to the opening, with a portfolio that includes more than 90 units across over 10 airports in multiple categories.“We’re honored to be a part of this milestone with Paris Baguette, and we know it will be a valuable addition to the Philadelphia International Airport ecosystem. We’ve seen an explosion in culture surrounding bakeries,” Terri said. “Americans are moving away from packaged sweets and looking for real, artisan creations like the ones Paris Baguette is known for. Our goal has always been to bring the high-quality café experience into the airport, and Paris Baguette is the perfect fit for that vision.”According to Sandy, the brand’s existing recognition is another reason the concept makes sense for an airport setting.“We are very excited about the brand and believe their strong reputation will be appealing to the traveling public,” he said. “This is a brand guests already know and have experience with, and we are looking forward to bringing Paris Baguette to the Philadelphia International Airport.”As Paris Baguette continues their incredible national growth, the Philadelphia International Airport location will serve as a foundation for future travel hub developments, supporting an important shift beyond the traditional retail model and positioning Paris Baguette more firmly as a beloved global brand bringing warmth and joy in an entirely new context.ABOUT PARIS BAGUETTEParis 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 300 locations in markets across North America, 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&nbsp;<a href="https://ownaparisbaguette.com/.">https://ownaparisbaguette.com/.</a>&nbsp;

Photo of Philadelphia International Airport Paris Baguette bakery café

In addition to the 300-café milestone, the PHL café also represents Paris Baguette’s first-ever U.S. airport café and another key step on their path to 1,000 U.S. cafés by 2030.

A Q&A with Mark Mele, Chief Development Officer for Paris Baguette

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