Franchising

la Madeleine signs 8-location deal to enter Kansas City

Source: la Madeleine

October 1, 2026

Summarize withChatGPTGrokPerplexityClaude

la Madeleine has signed an eight-location development agreement with Eddie Musallet of Express Stop and The Musallet Group to enter the Kansas City metropolitan area.

The first café is scheduled to open in late fall 2027, with additional locations to follow.

The agreement is part of la Madeleine's franchise expansion strategy, with multi-unit development agreements allowing the brand to enter new markets and build a presence across surrounding communities.

The Musallet Group is a multi-unit business group with a portfolio that includes grocery, convenience retail and franchised businesses in the Kansas City area. The partnership will give la Madeleine an operator with experience in communities across Kansas and Missouri.

"Growth into a new market is most successful when the brand is matched with partners who understand the community and know how to build for the long term," la Madeleine senior director of franchise development and real estate Mark Ramage said in a press release.

"This agreement gives us a strong foundation for our Midwest debut and future growth in the region."

Dallas-based la Madeleine has nearly 90 corporate and franchise locations across the U.S., including cafés in airports, universities and hospitals. It also has two international locations in Bangalore, India.

The company announced earlier this year that 2026 would represent the "fastest pace of café openings since 2017," with growth focused on franchise development, non-traditional venues and the rollout of the small-format prototype.

Join restaurant leaders at the Fast Casual Executive Summit, October 4-6 in Arlington, Texas. Hear from Scott Deviney of Chicken Salad Chick, Geoff Alexander of Wow Bao and many others on what it takes to grow and lead a fast casual brand. Register now: