French bakery-café Marie Blachère reaches 700-store milestone

Marie Blachère has opened 40 new locations in 2022 and plans to open 30 more before the end of the year | Photo credit: Groupe Blachère Franchise

French bakery-café chain Marie Blachère has reached 700 outlets in France following the launch of its latest store in Allauch, Provence, at the start of July. 
 

Marie Blachère is the largest coffee chain in France, followed by domestic bakery Paul’s, which has approximately 400 outlets, and US-based McCafé which has added 123 stores over the last 12 months to reach 362 locations. Marie Blachère currently holds a 16.3% share in France’s branded café market. 

Having added 80 new outlets in 2021, Marie Blachère has opened 40 new locations in 2022 and plans to open 30 more before the end of the year. 

Formed in 2004 with a focus on French suburban locations, Marie Blachère has since diversified its approach to expansion. Outlets of Café de Marie, a French-style coffee shop concept, with a self-service French bakery offer, have also been launched in Juvisy-sur-Orge, Maisons-Alfort, Colombes and Le Havre. 

Marie Blachère plans to introduce 10 new franchisees by the end of 2022, adding to the five it currently works with, and is pursuing further growth in international markets.  

The company is set to open two outlets in Miami, US, later this year to add to the two sites it opened in New York in 2019. 

The group opened a franchised outlet in Lisbon, Portugal, last September and, according to Jean-Marc Conrad, Director of the Franchise and Catering Division of Marie Blachère, is considering entering the Spanish market in 2023. 

World Coffee Portal forecasts the 4,000-strong French branded café market will exceed 4,570 outlets by 2027.