Paris Baguette Expands into Puerto Rico, Partners with Harry Chen and Shirley Chen to Build Neighborhood Bakery Cafe

PUERTO RICO, US –  Paris Baguette, the bakery café concept with 4,000 units worldwide, is growing quickly in America. With over 160 bakery cafés in the U.S., another 44 awarded and 72 leases signed, they have built a strong presence nationwide. Now, they are growing for the first time in Puerto Rico. Harry Chen and Shirley Chen, Puerto Rico residents and seasoned entrepreneurs are pioneering the expansion with the recent execution of a single-unit franchise agreement and have begun their search for a prime real estate site.

“We’re on a mission to revive the concept of the neighborhood bakery café across the U.S., and we’re excited to see Harry and Shirley take this on in their own community,” said Darren Tipton, chief executive officer. “No other bakery café franchisors are doing what Paris Baguette is on the same scale. Our ability to stay true to our bakery café roots while embracing rapid growth has allowed us to bring an unmatched experience to communities nationwide, and we’re proud to know that Puerto Rico will be a part of that growth.”

Harry Chen and Shirley Chen are excited to introduce Paris Baguette, the globally beloved neighborhood bakery café franchise, to a whole new part of the world: Puerto Rico. 

The decision to franchise with Paris Baguette was influenced by Harry's lifelong familiarity with the brand and the realization that such a product could fill a gap in the local market where consumers are eager for new and exciting food and beverage options. Shirley, having grown up on the island, is excited to introduce this beloved brand locally and looks forward to creating added value in the community through the new job opportunities this venture will create. 

“Growing up, my mom would often bake her own pastries and cakes for the enjoyment of our family. During a visit to New York, I met with Harry at a local Paris Baguette. I was in awe of the selection of products but most importantly, the freshness and the quality of the baked goods and cakes. It brought back so many beautiful childhood memories of sharing freshly baked goods with my family. For me, this venture is very personal. Although my mom is no longer with us, I am sure she would have loved everything about Paris Baguette. I cannot wait for our shops to become a place where families get to create their own moments of joy daily, with the rest of our community,” said Shirley.

As they grow, Paris Baguette continues to stand out thanks to their clear commitment to quality, service and connection. A crucial step to maintaining this value is finding the right location for each bakery café. With an unwavering commitment to securing nothing but the best real estate sites, Paris Baguette supports their franchisees in identifying and analyzing prime real estate in their markets to select the option that lends itself to the most elevated experience.

The real estate selection process creates a foundation upon which franchisees can develop other key aspects of the Paris Baguette experience. Rather than leveraging an impersonal, quick-service model that emphasizes quantity over quality, for example, Paris Baguette remains committed to providing a great experience to each guest. From baked goods made in-café daily to a warm atmosphere and happy, welcoming team, each aspect of the Paris Baguette model embodies the vision of a neighborhood bakery café — your neighborhood bakery café.

“One of the sayings our teams throughout the system embody is, ‘Happy to see you. Even happier to serve you.’ And we know Harry and Shirley will wholeheartedly embrace this approach in their neighborhood,” added Tipton. “The people throughout the Paris Baguette system are what make the experience so sweet, and Harry and Shirley’s choice to bring the concept to their own community is another step in the right direction.

As their growth continues, Paris Baguette is looking to the 1,000-unit mark in the U.S. and working to expand through meaningful partnerships with local entrepreneurs who show a genuine interest in uniting their neighbors through connections over delicious baked goods and fresh coffee drinks.

In the $17 billion bakery segment, it is Paris Baguette’s person-first approach that allows them to differentiate themselves, offering an attractive opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to build something both lucrative and meaningful. The brand’s consistently climbing average unit volumes speak to the strength of the model, but Paris Baguette has never lost sight of their mission to revive the neighborhood bakery café.

As the team works toward opening 100 bakery cafés and awarding another 150 this year, they are focused on bringing the Paris Baguette experience to neighborhoods in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

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/.