Paris Baguette USA, which has more than 170 locations in the U.S. and Canada, has awarded 20 franchises, sold 47 units, signed 36 leases and opened 20 locations as it nears the beginning of Q3.
“We continue to be in a very strong position. We have rapid expansion underway across North America and we’re excited about the results we’ve seen thus far,” CEO Darren Tipton said in a company press release. “In addition to our recent signings and openings we’ve had, we also have 70-plus cafés in various stages of construction. It’s an incredibly exciting time for us. No one else is doing what we’re doing. We’re re-establishing the neighborhood bakery café as the heart of the community throughout North America, and we’ll continue to do that as we push to expand through Central and South America.”
During Q2, Paris Baguette broke into Utah, Washington and Minnesota and saw double-digit quarter-over-quarter revenue growth. While the brand’s footprint has contributed to revenue growth and the development of an even stronger fan base, ongoing product innovation has been another key contributor.
Earlier this year, Paris Baguette launched a line of lemon-inspired treats for summer and introduced Croissant Crisps, Buffalo Chicken Quiche, Cherry Cheese Danish and Salted Caramel Sweet Cream Cold Brew.
“Innovation is a big initiative for us and a key driver of our success. We consistently look at what’s on trend and what new flavors our guests are interested in,” Tipton said. “There will always be more new products, developed by our industry-leading culinary team, which will continue to complement our best-in-class offering. If you go into any of our cafés, you’ll see, feel, and smell the magic.”
Tipton said the system will harness this momentum to continue fueling its rapid development through the end of the year and beyond.
“The guest excitement and brand awareness that we’ve gained as a result of the progress we’ve made to this point have been really powerful for us,” he said. “We are on track to finish the year with about 70 new café openings, and we can’t wait until next year, when I expect we’ll see another 100-plus openings.”
In addition to growth in the U.S. and Canada, Paris Baguette is preparing to open its first Guam and Puerto Rico locations by year’s end and is searching for a master partner to start development in Mexico.
“There’s a lot of great movement going on — many excellent café-level results, and development as well,” Tipton said. “We’ve had an amazing response from people interested in joining us. We’ve also had interest from other, more sophisticated groups that are looking to join us. I expect we’ll reach the 200-café mark around September, and with the continued interest we’ve identified, we’ll be at 400, 500, and on our way to one thousand in no time.”
The chain has over 4,000 locations.
Source: Fast Casual
