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Au Bon Pain Bakery Cafe
Au Bon Pain is a fast-service bakery and café brand with a casual, warm atmosphere and a menu of authentic artisan breads and delicious pastries, as well as sandwiches, soups, salads and main dishes to appeal to any appetite. The restaurant chain, which is headquartered in Boston, Mass., has grown to more than 200 locations in the United States, and has expanded to South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Facts & figures
Au Bon Pain is looking to open many more franchises, seeking locations at visible intersections of business, shopping, transportation, hotels, hospitals and universities. While the company-owned restaurants are located in Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington, franchise locations are operating in 19 states.
Au Bon Pain plans to capitalize on the exploding market segment of bakery cafes and accelerate its franchise development both in the U.S. and internationally. The company seeks qualified and enthusiastic franchise partners to open locations in one of its five preferred trade channels. Specific target markets include small and mid-size cities in the Eastern, Southeastern, and Midwestern United States; and internationally in Asian and Middle Eastern territories.
Au Bon Pain Franchise Opportunities – History
Au Bon Pain was established in 1978 in Boston, when founder Louis Kane, while walking through Boston’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace, discovered a display of French bakery ovens and had the idea of making fresh baked breads and croissants available to the public. He teamed with Louis Rapuano to open the first café, then opened their second Au Bon Pain in New York City in 1984, and more than 250 locations since. Au Bon Pain went public in 1991 was later named Panera Bread Company.
Au Bon Pain Franchise Cost / Initial Investment /Au Bon Pain Franchise
Income
The franchise fee to open an Au Bon Pain location is $30,000. Au Bon Pain franchisees must have cash liquidity lf $350,000 per location. Area Development Agreement fee is $7,500 per location, with a minimum of 10 locations.
Au Bon Pain Franchise Business Opportunities: Other Information
In addition to its popular restaurants, Au Bon Pain offers catering services, bringing its breads and baked items to homes and offices for any occasion. Au Bon Pain established a program called ‘Food for Life’ that provides food for families and individuals who might otherwise go hungry. The program works with local organizations and food banks in the regions around its restaurant locations.
