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Top 100: People - Louis Basile

December 24, 2012

No. 6 Louis Basile
Founder of Wildflower Bread Company

Before we knew better, we thought “Au Bon Pain” meant something like “the good pain.” If that’s the case, Basile’s former employer was in blissful agony after he took the company from 40 locations in 1987, to 125 in 1991. When he left in 1994, the count was 250. Not only does he have 11 Wildflower locations (the first opened in 1996), he runs a fresh dough commissary and a wholesale bread division.

In Basile's scant spare time, he supports the fast casual segment as a founding member and chairman
of the Fast Casual Industry Council. He also is a newly elected National Restaurant Association
board member.

Download the complete 2012 FastCasual Top 100.