With thousands of locations across the globe, Paris Baguette is finally making its way North and will be opening its first Canadian location in the Spring of 2022.
The franchise was founded in Seoul, Korea, in 1988, and they now operate around 6000 locations internationally. Chief Executive Officer Jack Moran is thrilled to finally bring Paris Baguette to Canada. After scouting several storefront opportunities in the Financial District, he believes the Yorkville neighbourhood will perfectly represent the brand's identity.
Moran says, "Paris Baguette has become a global phenomenon that combines Asian-inspired meticulousness and organization (with the ability to accomplish production on a grand scale), and mix it with French-inspired culinary baking, creating the genesis of the concept."
Though Paris Baguette is currently recognized in many different countries, at its core, it just wants to be a friendly, neighbourhood bakery. He says, "We franchise because we believe a bakery should be at the heart of every community and should be owned and run by individuals who are familiar with the neighbourhood and can provide a unique experience to those who come in for a visit."
The Toronto location will carry the bakery's core line of products, including croissants, pain au chocolat, specialty cakes and other grab-and-go items. A unique selection of offerings will also be made available, exclusive to the bakery on Bloor Street. These products will be determined once the spot has opened to the public, so the market research team can see which items Canadians are gravitating towards and enjoying the most.
The space will be a sprawling 2500 square feet, where all the products will be baked and prepared daily, on-site. Moran says, "This is one of the quality differentiators of the brand. There's no central kitchen as everything is made in-house by our bakers very early in the morning. It is labour intensive and expensive, but it is why we are in the bakery scene. Above all, we are foodies first, and we want to ensure that our guests only enjoy the highest quality of food."
The location at 110 Bloor Street West is set to open sometime in early June 2022, and their goal is to expand up to 100 units across Canada by the end of 2030. With Toronto being their entry point, the GTA will see the next Paris Baguette openings, followed by the West Coast (Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary), and eventually, Montreal.
With an array of delectable bread, pastries, salads, sandwiches and customizable cakes, Paris Baguette will quickly become a grab-and-go staple of Canada, where you will always be able to find high-quality goods perfect for any occasion.
