By Joshua Burd
Bakery café concept Paris Baguette has added to its footprint in New Jersey with the opening of a new location in downtown Red Bank.
The chain, which has more than 120 units in the United States and 4,000 worldwide, said the store at 128 Broad St. will be its seventh in New Jersey. Harsh Patel, a borough resident, and Mark Mele, chief development officer, are operating the new café.
The company did not disclose the size of the location.
“We are thrilled to announce our new opening within New Jersey,” Mele said. “There’s a tremendous amount of opportunity in the bakery café space. No one else is doing what we are on the same scale, and that’s attracting a lot of attention. It’s a really exciting time for us as we continue seeing growth through franchise expansion and year-over-year revenue numbers.”
Moving forward, Paris Baguette said it’s targeting 1,000 units in the U.S. by 2030. The company added that it’s distinct from other bakery operators, with a menu that is made on-site daily, as it eyes several new markets in 2023 and aims to sign 160 franchise agreements and open 80 units.
Mele added that New Jersey and New York will remain a key growth area.
“We are on track to enter new markets and open a total of 64 units by the end of 2023,” said TJ Rogers, franchise sales manager. “Even throughout the pandemic, we did not shy away from opening additional units and exploring new markets. With great year-over-year revenue increases — a 42 percent jump from last year — and a persistent interest in the brand from franchisees and consumers alike, we expect nothing but a strong continued growth trajectory for the brand.”
