After a successful career in real estate and mortgage franchising, April De Jesus is preparing to launch her first Paris Baguette café in the Toronto neighborhood of Yorkdale, alongside her husband, Alvin Santos — and it’s only the beginning. With two young daughters in mind and a deep desire to create something that can be passed on to the next generation, De Jesus found the perfect fit in Paris Baguette. It was love at first sight for De Jesus when she stepped into an Ontario Paris Baguette location. Now, with ambitions to expand her footprint and cultivate a flourishing, community-focused team, she's embarking on this new entrepreneurial journey with both determination and enthusiasm.
1851 spoke with De Jesus to learn more about her background, her journey to Paris Baguette and her plans for the future. Here’s what she had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
April De Jesus: I’m very excited to open my first Paris Baguette location. I’ve been in the real estate industry for 18 years — I’m a mortgage broker, and I also own my own mortgage franchise. I’m a real estate agent, and entrepreneurship runs in my family — my parents own a car dealership. I’m very hard-working, and I don’t shy away from a challenge. I give it my all.
I wanted to find a concept we could open in the Greater Toronto Area. When I visited the store in Ontario, I was really impressed with the prototype and the business model, so I contacted the brand. The main reason we are doing this is for our two daughters, who are three and six years old. We want to create a generational business for them.
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?
De Jesus: Franchising makes sense to me because even though I’ve been self-employed my whole life, I’m brand new to the food industry. I know what I want to achieve and where I want to go, but I want a roadmap to get there — a solid roadmap that I can follow to my destination.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
De Jesus: I really like the brand because of the fresh food and the quality, but I also loved the vision and the core values. That really stood out to me. The culture felt like a match — it aligned with who I am.
Being able to give back also really drew me in. We do a lot of community work through our church, and I want to carry that same spirit into my business. I want to treat my future team with respect so that happiness and care flows out to our customers.
The support I received so far from Paris Baguette's team has been amazing. They have lead me every step of the way to the right direction. I am very grateful to all of them. I truly believe I made the right choice by joining the Paris Baguette family.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
De Jesus: The long-term plan is to hopefully have at least four stores. And then, I hope to pass them on to the next generation.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
De Jesus: I would say: Do your research. Join a brand that resonates with you — something you’re excited about and proud to be a part of. It shouldn’t feel like a job. You have to love what you do, and it should represent who you are as a person.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://ownaparisbaguette.com or https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette.
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 225 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 https://ownaparisbaguette.com/.
Paris Baguette Canada
With nearly two decades in real estate, April De Jesus is shifting into food franchising to create a family-run business that blends quality, community, and long-term impact.
After a successful career in real estate and mortgage franchising, April De Jesus is preparing to launch her first Paris Baguette café in the Toronto neighborhood of Yorkdale, alongside her husband, Alvin Santos — and it’s only the beginning. With two young daughters in mind and a deep desire to create something that can be passed on to the next generation, De Jesus found the perfect fit in Paris Baguette. It was love at first sight for De Jesus when she stepped into an Ontario Paris Baguette location. Now, with ambitions to expand her footprint and cultivate a flourishing, community-focused team, she's embarking on this new entrepreneurial journey with both determination and enthusiasm.
1851 spoke with De Jesus to learn more about her background, her journey to Paris Baguette and her plans for the future. Here’s what she had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
April De Jesus: I’m very excited to open my first Paris Baguette location. I’ve been in the real estate industry for 18 years — I’m a mortgage broker, and I also own my own mortgage franchise. I’m a real estate agent, and entrepreneurship runs in my family — my parents own a car dealership. I’m very hard-working, and I don’t shy away from a challenge. I give it my all.
I wanted to find a concept we could open in the Greater Toronto Area. When I visited the store in Ontario, I was really impressed with the prototype and the business model, so I contacted the brand. The main reason we are doing this is for our two daughters, who are three and six years old. We want to create a generational business for them.
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?
De Jesus: Franchising makes sense to me because even though I’ve been self-employed my whole life, I’m brand new to the food industry. I know what I want to achieve and where I want to go, but I want a roadmap to get there — a solid roadmap that I can follow to my destination.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
De Jesus: I really like the brand because of the fresh food and the quality, but I also loved the vision and the core values. That really stood out to me. The culture felt like a match — it aligned with who I am.
Being able to give back also really drew me in. We do a lot of community work through our church, and I want to carry that same spirit into my business. I want to treat my future team with respect so that happiness and care flows out to our customers.
The support I received so far from Paris Baguette's team has been amazing. They have lead me every step of the way to the right direction. I am very grateful to all of them. I truly believe I made the right choice by joining the Paris Baguette family.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
De Jesus: The long-term plan is to hopefully have at least four stores. And then, I hope to pass them on to the next generation.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
De Jesus: I would say: Do your research. Join a brand that resonates with you — something you’re excited about and proud to be a part of. It shouldn’t feel like a job. You have to love what you do, and it should represent who you are as a person.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://ownaparisbaguette.com or https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette.
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 225 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 https://ownaparisbaguette.com/.
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