Ankur Sahni and Megha Arora-Sahni had built their careers in banking in Manhattan, and they understood the trade-offs that came with it. The work was demanding, and the days were long. When their son was born, and the pandemic brought work into the home, they began to wonder whether there was another way forward.

They found their inspiration at their local Paris Baguette on Long Island, which naturally evolved into their personal oasis, their remote workspace and the centerpiece of their social circle. Recognizing the massive momentum behind the number-one ranked bakery café in North America, a global brand boasting over 300 cafés open, 600 in active development and a stellar $3-million AUV, Ankur and Megha decided to transition from banking to baking. Seizing a rare, sizable market opportunity, they signed an eight-unit development agreement to reestablish the neighborhood bakery café experience across Massachusetts, beginning with their first 4,300-square-foot flagship café in Bellingham.

Megha and Ankur sat down with 1851 Franchise to discuss their strategic approach to multi-unit market development, what they discovered about the realities of construction and how they plan to turn their new French-inspired flagship café into the ultimate community hub. Here’s what they had to say:

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Ankur Sahni: Megha and I first met at a café near Bryant Park Christmas Market in New York City. That café is special to us because it's also the exact spot where I eventually proposed to her. In many ways, our story began at a bakery café, so entering this business feels incredibly natural.

We were blessed with our son, who is practically our third business partner — he comes everywhere with us, including many of our site searches, lease signings and café visits. 

Outside of our corporate careers, community has always been at the center of who we are. In 2019, we started the Indian-American Community of Long Island as a way to bring families together through social events, sports and volunteer activities. What began as a small Facebook group has grown into a thriving community of more than 4,000 families.

For us, Paris Baguette is a natural extension of that passion. We aren't just opening cafés; we're creating places where people can connect, celebrate milestones, meet friends, study, work remotely and feel a sense of belonging. Our goal is to build welcoming neighborhood gathering places that become part of the fabric of the communities they serve.

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Megha Arora-Sahni: We already knew Paris Baguette from working in the city for many years, but when a café opened near our home on Long Island, it quickly became one of our favorite places to spend time together as a family. We would meet friends there, work remotely, celebrate special occasions and simply enjoy the atmosphere. We fell in love with the warmth of the cafés, the quality of the products and the way people naturally gathered there.

What excites me most is the role these cafés play in people's lives. A birthday cake, a cup of coffee with a friend, a family breakfast or an afternoon study session may seem like small moments, but those moments matter. We love the idea of creating a place where people feel welcome, connected and part of a community.

Ankur: To add to what Megha said, from a business perspective, Paris Baguette stood out because it combines strong unit economics with significant long-term growth potential. Paris Baguette sits in a unique position where it has strong and growing average unit volumes, an established support infrastructure and substantial brand momentum, while still offering opportunities to develop premium markets and build meaningful multi-unit scale.

I also became fascinated by the craftsmanship behind the brand and would often train at 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning at a corporate café in Manhattan just to learn the baking process firsthand. For us, Paris Baguette represents a rare combination of proven performance, operational excellence and the opportunity to create lasting value within the communities we serve.

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?

Ankur: Coming from a finance background, I initially viewed franchising through the lens of unit economics, margins and growth potential. While those factors are important, what I've learned is that the real opportunity is much bigger than the numbers.

As we've gone through the process of opening our cafés, our focus has shifted toward the people and communities we hope to serve. We spend far more time thinking about our team members, our guests and the experiences we want to create than we do looking at spreadsheets.

One of the reasons we were drawn to Paris Baguette is its vision of reestablishing the neighborhood bakery café as the heart of the community. We've come to appreciate that a great café is more than a place to buy coffee and pastries — it's where families celebrate milestones, friends connect and neighbors gather. The numbers may spark your interest in the opportunity, but it's the ability to positively impact people and build community that makes the journey truly meaningful.

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

Ankur: We wanted the opportunity to be meaningful enough to make a complete career transition worthwhile, so we signed an eight-unit development agreement from the start. When we met with the leadership team, we saw a tremendous opportunity to help grow the brand across Massachusetts and bring the neighborhood bakery café experience to some of the state's most vibrant communities.

Our vision extends beyond simply opening locations. We want to build places that become part of the fabric of their communities — where families celebrate milestones, students study, friends meet over coffee and neighbors gather together. Our second café is already underway in Mansfield, and over time we plan to thoughtfully develop our remaining territories while maintaining a consistent guest experience and strong culture across every café.

Megha: Our first flagship café in Bellingham is nearly 4,300 square feet and will serve as the foundation for everything we build going forward. Because of its size and scale, our immediate focus is on assembling a great team, creating an exceptional guest experience and establishing operational excellence from day one.

We are currently building a team of 30 to 40 employees and investing heavily in training and culture. If we can create a place where employees are proud to work and guests are excited to return, we believe the growth will naturally follow.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Megha: One thing that excites us about our first café is that it perfectly aligns with our long-term vision for the brand. We were very intentional about choosing a location that serves families, professionals and community-oriented residents who value quality, hospitality and gathering places.

The Bellingham café sits in one of the region's premier retail destinations, drawing guests from throughout Massachusetts and neighboring Rhode Island. We also believe the customers who visit the center are a natural fit for the Paris Baguette experience — people who appreciate craftsmanship, quality ingredients and memorable moments shared with family and friends.

More importantly, we see this café as much more than a place to buy coffee and pastries. We hope it becomes a gathering place where families celebrate birthdays, students study, local organizations meet and neighbors connect. As parents ourselves, we can already picture children walking through the plaza and asking, "Can we stop at Paris Baguette?" Those small moments are exactly why we decided to pursue this journey.

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

Ankur: My biggest piece of advice for anyone considering franchising is to conduct thorough due diligence before taking the leap. It's easy to focus on the excitement of opening a business, but factors such as real estate, staffing, financing, supply chain management and day-to-day execution can have a significant impact on the success of your investment.

Most importantly, remember that great businesses are built around people. You need to create an environment where employees are excited to come to work, grow and serve others, while also creating a place where customers genuinely want to spend their time. If you can build a strong team and consistently deliver a great guest experience, many of the other challenges become much easier to overcome.

Franchising can be an incredible opportunity, but success ultimately comes down to careful planning, asking the right questions, surrounding yourself with great people and being prepared for the unexpected. For us, the goal isn't simply to open cafés — it's to create places where families gather, friendships grow and communities come together.

ABOUT PARIS BAGUETTE:

With a projected 1,000 bakery cafés in North America by 2030, Paris Baguette is on a mission to reestablish the neighborhood bakery café as the heart of the community. Paris Baguette serves craveable baked and brewed treats and creates warm and welcoming experiences through a blend of gracious service, expert craftsmanship and community connections. From decisions made behind a desk to smiles offered behind a counter, the desire to spread joy and make the world a happier place drives everything we do. Being a neighborhood bakery café means caring about those around us and finding ways to make a real impact. We do so through our "Love Baked In" programs that bring to life our commitment to serving local communities through various charitable programs and initiatives. Paris Baguette is a leader in the hospitality industry with its commitment to creating unique consumer experiences and a network of successful franchisee relationships. For information and to find the Paris Baguette location closest to you, please visit www.parisbaguette.com.