Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Cathy Chavenet — Chief Marketing Officer, Paris Baguette

Name: Cathy Chavenet
Role: Chief Marketing Officer
Brand: Paris Baguette*
Brand Website: https://parisbaguette.com/

As chief marketing officer and head of R&D at Paris Baguette North America, Cathy Chavenet is helping steer one of the fastest-growing bakery café franchises toward a bold new era. With a unique background that blends hands-on entrepreneurship, culinary expertise and high-level franchise leadership, Chavenet brings a deep understanding of both sides of the franchisor-franchisee relationship.

“Franchise marketing allows us to collaborate with individual franchisees while contributing to the growth of a unified national brand,” Chavenet said.

Before joining Paris Baguette, Chavenet led global marketing strategies at Duck Donuts and regional initiatives for powerhouse brands including Dunkin’ and The Wendy’s Company. Her 13-year tenure at Dunkin’ — where she transitioned from operations to marketing — cemented her franchise marketing philosophy: collaboration, localization and adaptability are key.

Q&A With Cathy Chavenet, Chief Marketing Officer, Paris Baguette

1851 Franchise: What do you love most about franchise marketing?

Cathy Chavenet: Franchise marketing allows us to collaborate with individual franchisees while contributing to the growth of a unified national brand.

1851: What’s the single most important thing franchise marketers can do to improve unit-level economics?

Chavenet: Create a localized marketing plan to further enhance the broader national messaging. This helps to strengthen the individual franchisee’s community connection while driving profitable sales and traffic.

1851: What do you see as franchise brands’ largest marketing opportunity today?

Chavenet: Creating an environment where franchisee collaboration is fostered to develop robust strategies and programs.

1851: What marketing trends are you watching closely for 2025?

Chavenet: A combination of both traditional and non-traditional tactics to attract multi-generation purchase intent.

1851: What is one bold prediction you have for what’s next in marketing?

Chavenet: Marketing is a continually evolving landscape. In order to remain competitive, brands will need to stay nimble with the ability to pivot quickly.

Growing and selling franchises is difficult. No great franchise did it alone. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisors grow their franchises with confidence? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and see what we can do for you.