Article
1 brand; 3 concepts bucking tradition
Le Duff is planning nontraditional openings for its three fast casual concepts.
December 16, 2013 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
Opening in nontraditional venues is a major strategy when it comes to Le Duff America's latest expansion. The owner of la Madeleine and Bruegger's Bagels has seen just how powerful nontraditional venues can be with its European-modeled brand, Brioche Dorée, said Paul Carolan, chief development officer at Le Duff.
Unlike la Madeleine and Bruegger's, Brioche Dorée, which has nearly 30 locations, was designed specifically for small footprints, including airports and college campuses.
"It's an extremely significant brand in Europe, and this relevance has translated nicely to its stores in the U.S.," Carolan said. "People are very food focused and food centric and this is a brand that takes great pride in the quality of their food and its presentation."
Le Duff is hoping to translate that successful format into nontraditional locations of la Madeleine and Bruegger's, which usually thrive in standard fast casual settings. The company began testing in airports this year when it opened la Madeleine units inside airports in Phoenix, Dallas and Atlanta.
"Both la Madeleine and Bruegger's Bagels have a tremendous relevance to our customer base," Carolan said. "As a result, we wanted to provide an option for our customers that fits in with their routine. Through non-traditional venues such as airports, college campuses and hospitals, we can offer the food our customers know and love in a venue that fits their lifestyles."
When it comes to going nontraditional, Carolan said airports are probably the most successful since they are busy at all hours.
"Colleges lose about 22 weeks out of the year. Hospitals are dependent on how many beds are in the hospital and the type of hospital. Teaching hospitals tend to be busier than traditional hospitals," he said.
In 2014, Le Duff plans to open two more la Madeleine airport locations, three Brioche Dorées — one each in an airport, on a college campus and in a health care facility —and three Bruegger's in airports and on a college campus.
Are non-traditional locations cheaper?
The cost is dependent on the venue and the size of each store, Carolan said, but since the units are smaller with fewer employees and smaller menus, it takes less time and cost to open.
It's important to Le Duff, however, to make sure all its nontraditional units give customers the same experience they'd have in standard locations. For example, Brioche Dorée has different modules that franchisees can add to the non-traditional stores, including signature specialty coffee and wine programs. la Madeleine tries to replicate traditional units by including a fireplace in every non-traditional location, and Bruegger's Bagels likes to boil and bake bagels on site.
"With nontraditional venues, we take the best of the restaurant and incorporate that into a smaller footprint," Carolan said. "We want the customer to have the same experience stepping into a nontraditional venue as they would at a traditional venue."
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