Bakery chain continues expansion in New Jersey

Can they compete with the legendary mom and pop bakeries in New Jersey? That’s the question as the international chain Paris Baguette plans more locations in New Jersey.

According to NJ.com, the most recent addition will be in Plainsboro, opening sometime next year. Paris Baguette currently operates seven New Jersey locations with at least eight more slated to open soon.

Paris Baguette opened its first store in Korea (where its headquarters still are) and has spread to the U.S. where it operates 105 locations, most of which are franchised. Their goal is to open 1,000 new American locations by 2030.

Paris Baguette says that they want to “re-establish the neighborhood bakery café as the heart of the community around the world.”

Here's what they offer.

Cakes made by master cakers

Cake slices

Gourmet sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Breads (like the titular baguettes)

Salads

Bakery including pastries and donuts made fresh every day

Packaged roll cakes and castellas

They also feature various drinks like hot coffee, cold coffee including espresso drinks, seasonal drinks and teas including matcha drinks and chai drinks.

Mark Mele of Paris Baguette told NJ.com, “There’s not a lot of brands in our space that are really staying true to baking,” Mele said.

Saying that there aren’t a lot of brands staying true to baking are fighting words in New Jersey. Just recently, celebrity chef David Burke took over the Dixie Lee Bakery in Keansburg and is planning on putting out some of the finest baked goods in the country.

New Jersey is known for being too welcoming to chain restaurants with all the top-flight local restaurants, so we’ll have to wait and see how this chain fares.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle only.

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