DALLAS — Le Duff America Inc., the Dallas-based subsidiary of Groupe Le Duff, the world leader in the bakery-cafe segment with nearly 1,700 locations across five continents and 80 countries, has named international finance and hospitality executive Olivier Poirot as CEO.
Poirot most recently served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Sodexo North America, a $9.5 billion division of Sodexo SA, which operates in 80 countries and serves 75 million consumers each day in areas ranging from construction to child care to wellness and nutrition. Prior to that, he was CEO of Accor North America, Motel 6 and Studio 6, overseeing ANA's operations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
At Le Duff America, which operates a portfolio of brands including la Madeleine Country French Cafe, Bruegger's Bagels, Brioche Doree and Mimi's Cafe, Poirot will lead a multi-brand initiative to accelerate growth through a renewed focus on franchising.
"We see huge opportunity, particularly for la Madeleine and Bruegger's Bagels in 2017, to expand exponentially through aggressive franchising efforts," said Poirot. "As a global leader in the bakery-cafe segment, we know that great franchise partners, paired with an excellent franchise offering that includes above-market AUV, brand equity and a focus on food quality and guest experience, can generate growth beyond what we can achieve on our own."
Plans for each of the Le Duff America brands include:
- La Madeleine Country French Cafe, which serves authentic "maison-made" original recipes at breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with a wide assortment of breads, cakes and pastries baked daily in its bakeries, will pursue multi-unit franchisees and build out corporate stores to open approximately 50 more bakery-cafes over the next few years.
- Bruegger's Bagels, known for its authentic New York-style bagels, 100 percent made-in-Vermont cream cheese and signature artisanal coffees, soups, salads and sandwiches, has more than 275 locations throughout the U.S. and plans aggressive franchise development in current corporate markets.
- Brioche Doree, Groupe Le Duff's globally recognized Parisian-style bakery-cafe brand that offers freshly made sandwiches, salads, soups, quiche and signature pastries, currently operates in the U.S. primarily in non-traditional locations such as airports and on college campuses with limited offerings. It has plans to open three to six corporate-owned locations in major urban centers in 2018, followed by franchise openings in subsequent years.
- Mimi's Cafe, purchased by Le Duff in 2013, offers French-inspired American comfort food at breakfast, lunch and dinner at nearly 100 locations in 18 states. The brand plans major renovations at two of its California restaurants and is rolling out additional menu updates nationwide.
"Olivier is an accomplished leader who has the global perspective and hands-on experience to continue developing Le Duff as a modern, sustainable, industry-leading company," said Groupe Le Duff founder and CEO Louis Le Duff. "We are fortunate to have someone of his caliber at our American helm during this important phase of our growth."
In addition to his many professional achievements, Poirot holds a business degree and a DESSCAF from Ecole Superieure de Commerce de La Rochelle (Sup de Co) in France.
About Le Duff America Inc.
Le Duff America Inc. is a subsidiary of Rennes, France-based Groupe Le Duff, which serves more than 1 million customers daily at its nearly 1,700 bakery-cafes worldwide. It operates multiple restaurant concepts in the U.S., including Brioche Doree, la Madeleine, Bruegger's Bagels and Mimi's Cafe, which focus on fresh ingredients, hand preparation and authentic flavors.
Source: Le Duff America Inc.