Le Pain Quotidien opened its first stores in Luxembourg, Uruguay, Morocco and Greece last year | Photo credit: Hans Vivek

Belgium’s Le Pain Quotidien has signed a master franchise agreement with Baku-based Sinteks Group of Companies to open stores in Azerbaijan. 
 

In a LinkedIn post, Le Pain Quotidien said the initial phase of the contract will see Sinteks Group open multiple all-day bakeries and restaurants in the capital, Baku, but did not give a timeline for the launch. 

However, the bakery-café chain did state that the agreement marks ‘another important step’ in its global expansion strategy, which included debuts in Luxembourg, Uruguay, Morocco and Greece last year. 

Le Pain Quotidien, French for ‘the daily bread’, operates more than 200 outlets globally, with 50 stores in the US, 35 in Argentina and 33 stores in its native Belgium.  

World Coffee Portal’s Project Café Europe 2024 report shows the 51-store Azerbaijani branded coffee shop market is solely comprised of international chains. The market is led by 10-store Gloria Jean’s, which is licensed by Sinteks Group, with French bakery-café group Paul, Canadian coffee chain Second Cup and US coffee giant Starbucks each operating a handful of outlets.  

Founded in 1996, Sinteks Group of Companies is one of the largest retail groups in Azerbaijan and operates a 300-brand fashion, jewellery and beauty portfolio including licensed Burberry, Emporio Armani, Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren stores.