Paris Baguette said on the 26th that it ranked No. 29 overall in the 2026 Franchise 500 released by the U.S. business outlet Entrepreneur. It took the No. 1 spot in the bakery cafe institutional sector.
The Franchise 500 is a set of evaluation metrics that Entrepreneur, a leading U.S. business magazine alongside Forbes and Fortune, has released since 1980. It is regarded as a key barometer for gauging competitiveness in the U.S. franchise market.
Each year, for brands operating franchise businesses in North America, more than 150 detailed items are evaluated comprehensively to determine rankings, including ▲ franchise size and growth ▲ franchise infrastructure ▲ marketing support ▲ brand competitiveness ▲ financial stability. This year, 1,354 brands headquartered in North America and operating at least 10 stores were evaluated.
Paris Baguette has raised its ranking every year to enter the top "top 30." It was No. 61 in 2024 and No. 42 in 2025. Among domestic brands, Paris Baguette is the only one to make the top 30 in this year's Franchise 500. Observers said it proved both growth potential and business stability in the United States, regarded as a fiercely competitive battleground for global franchises.
Last year, Paris Baguette's U.S. sales rose about 30% from a year earlier. Paris Baguette alone opened 77 new stores in North America last year and now operates 285 stores. Based on roughly 100 lease contracts and about 300 development agreements signed last year, the company plans to add more than 150 stores across North America this year, increasing the total number to more than 400.
In addition, to fully expand its local U.S. business, the company broke ground last September on a bakery plant of about 20,800 square meters in Texas. Aimed for final completion in 2029, the facility is expected to become a key base that not only enhances production and logistics efficiency in the North American market but also strengthens customized local quality competitiveness.
Darren Tipton, CEO of Paris Baguette's Americas unit, said, "The Franchise 500 is the most authoritative metric in the franchise industry," adding, "This achievement reflects recognition of the competitiveness and growth potential of Paris Baguette's global franchise business model."