The bakery café chain is optimistic about full-year outlet growth after opening 20 new stores and finalising 66 franchise agreements during its second quarter
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Paris Baguette America’s currently operates 140 stores in the US | Photo credit: Paris Baguette America
Paris Baguette America has said it is on track to reach 180 US stores by the end of 2023 following strong franchise development in its second quarter.
The bakery café chain opened 20 new outlets and finalised 66 new franchise agreements during the period, an increase from the 13 new stores and 40 agreements signed in the first three months of 2023.
Paris Baguette America’s second quarter growth included its first store in the US state of Maryland and agreements to enter Utah, Minnesota and Connecticut. The New Jersey-based bakery café chain currently operates 140 stores in the US.
Looking to the second half of the year, Paris Baguette America is expected to open its first North Carolina store in July 2023 and is negotiating opening an outlet in Hawaii within the next six months.
“With 66 signings, 20 openings and almost 50 more cafés in various stages of construction, we’re climbing toward the goal of 64 cafés opened this year, and we see a pathway to get there. In the second quarter, we opened our first Maryland café and signed a deal for our first cafés in Utah, Minnesota and Connecticut in addition to further expansion agreements in California, Illinois, Virginia, Florida, and New Jersey,” said Mark Mele, Chief Development Officer, Paris Baguette America.
“I am confident about the remainder of the year. All of our key indicators are looking good, and we continue to stand out to both franchisees and guests in the markets we enter,” he added.
Mele also said Paris Baguette America’s customer footfall has risen by more than 10% compared to the first half of 2022, with many of its new stores achieving record numbers for first-day and first-week operations.
Founded in South Korea in 1988, Paris Baguette entered the US market in 2005 and began franchising in 2015.
The bakery café chain posted 42% year-on-year sales growth for its 2022 financial year, with like-for-like sales growing 31%.
Paris Baguette America has set a goal of reaching 1,000 outlets across North America by 2030. The chain opened its first outlet in Canada at Toronto’s Yonge Sheppard Centre shopping mall in March 2023 and plans to open ‘at least’ seven stores across the North American country this year.