Au Pain Doré, a Montreal based bakery, is looking to secure seven to ten locations this year, is continuously innovating new products, and has the goal of having approximately forty locations within the next five years.
Currently the brand has a total of 16 locations, eight in Montreal and eight in Toronto. The next location, and first suburban store, will be opening at Square One Mall in Mississauga with an exterior facing entrance and large patio, where Alexandra Grudkin, franchise development director at Groupe Le Duff, says construction will start in February and will be opening in late May.
“Au Pain Doré is not just a bakery; it’s a testament to the rich heritage of French culinary excellence blended with the dynamic spirit of Montreal. Since our inception in 1956 and our reinvigoration in 2008, we have embarked on an exciting journey of growth, starting from the heart of Montreal to the bustling streets of Toronto. Our recent expansion reflects not just our passion for quality and tradition, but also our commitment to bringing a unique dining experience to every customer, one neighbourhood at a time,” says Grudkin.
Expansion Plans
Au Pain Doré has an aggressive expansion plan for this year, including adding four to five new locations in Ontario and two locations in Quebec. These locations will be focusing on both downtown cores and the surrounding areas. Grudkin says the plan for the next couple of years is to focus on expanding in Montreal and in Ontario markets.
Within the next five years, Grudkin says Au Pain Doré will hopefully have a total of forty stores across Ontario and Montreal. The brand won’t stop there as after these expansion plans, Grudkin says they are looking to open locations in British Columbia, starting in Vancouver and will be looking into the rest of Canada in the future.
“We are now focusing on downtown Toronto and the immediate GTA for our growth targets, and Montreal as well. That would be the plan for the next two years before we consider moving out West and expanding in British Columbia where we’ve have had quite a bit of demand. With the success of recent openings, we are motivated to accelerate growth, but again, we recently began franchising this brand so it is going to take a bit of time to kick start the expansion.”
The targets for the GTA will include Vaughan, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Mississauga and Oakville.
As for what type of locations the brand is looking for, Grudkin says they are looking for a mix of downtown and suburban areas. For downtown, it will be aiming for streetfront corner locations that can attract a mix of daytime work crowds and residential traffic and for spaces from 1,200 to 1,500 square feet. As for suburban areas, Grudkin says they will consider larger spaces such as around 2,000 square feet with a preference for patios and close to businesses that will compliment the bakery such as grocery stores.
Barbara Kless and Greg Rabin of The Behar Group Realty Inc. is representing the brand for its expansion in Toronto/GTA.
Menu Innovations
Although the menu is consistent, Au Pain Doré tailors its offerings to meet the preferences of each province. The brand is committed to keeping the French bakery selections while catering to local needs, ensuring every location will succeed and retail “the unique charm while staying true to its roots.”
“It is always interesting to bring a Quebec brand into English speaking areas in Canada and vice versa because there are some cultural differences and lifestyle differences. For example, in Montreal, it is normal to stop by the bakery and grab a baguette every single day after work. Whereas in Toronto, it has a different dynamic, but we do see a significant portion of our menu mix being more attributed to obviously our baked goods as well as our coffee.
Ensuring its menu stays consistent with trends and what customers are looking for, Au Pain Doré is continually innovating its menu.
“As far as innovation, we are frequently introducing new dessert items, different sandwiches, and salads with in-season ingredients. As well as pushing our coffee program as we have always just been seen as a French bakery. Whereas now, we have a coffee machine that is very sophisticated, we call it the Ferrari of coffee machines as it produces an excellent cup of coffee.”
The French bakery originally opened in Montreal in 1956 and was acquired by Groupe Le Duff in 2008. Since then, the group opened its first franchised location in Montreal in 2017, began franchising in Toronto in late 2022, and will continue to develop the French bakery across Canada.
“People really love coming into the store to hang out for a while and grab a cup of coffee or a sandwich for lunch. So we have seen success at our flagship location in Toronto, 81 Front Street, and it has been doing exceptionally well so we are looking forward to expanding further.. And we are always innovating and trying to optimise the menu to make sure our franchises are profitable and our customers are happy and recurring.”
Come to Ottawa please.