Franchising

Paris Baguette nearing 150 US units

Provided

April 20, 2023

Paris Baguette, a fast casual concept with 4,000 global units, is nearing 150 U.S. locations and working toward reaching the 1,000-unit mark by 2030. Since the start of the year, the chain has signed 40 franchise agreements and has been opening at least one restaurant per week.

"We are very proud of the momentum we have," Mark Mele, chief development officer, said in a company press release. "Last year we opened 24 stores. This year, we are more than halfway there in just three months. There has been a tremendous amount of franchise growth activity this year. I expect it to continue through Q2."

This year's openings were in Texas, New Jersey, California and Brooklyn, which has seen incredible sales and is outpacing more than 10 of its predecessor stores.

"The sales are impressive, but what's happening is that guest count continues to grow for this brand," Mele said in the release. "If you read restaurant publications, some brands are reporting an increase in average sales, but when you unpack that a little, you see that they've also raised prices. It appears that they're exploding, but much of that increase has been manufactured."

The brand, however, hasn't raised prices, and the guest count is up, thanks, in part, to the chain's latest prototype.

"The 3.0 prototype dovetails into everything we've been talking about — sales, guest counts going up and a great experience inside the cafe," Mele said in the release. "We spent a lot of time picking out the finishings and design so it doesn't look cheap. It all looks rich, and that adds something to the experience. We're already a higher-end, higher-quality bakery, and we put a nice bow around that with the 3.0 prototype. It's just a really nice place to indulge."

In the coming months, the brand is honing its development efforts in Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Scottsdale, Columbus, Raleigh, Charlotte and South Carolina. The total investment to franchise with Paris Baguette ranges from $652,565 and $1,750,900, including a $50,000 franchise fee.