“The French Workshop,” a bakery that opened in Bayside in 2015, will open its fifth location in Astoria by the end of 2024.
The expansion to the other side of the borough is part of a broader plan to bring the popular cafe chain to neighborhoods around the country as franchises. In the past decade, the bakery has expanded to western Long Island, with current locations in Garden City, Plainview and Wantagh.
The popular chain offers a unique open-concept space, where customers can watch pastry chefs craft a selection of French pastries, cakes, pies, croissants and sandwiches on-site. At the original location at 38-39 Bell Blvd., a marble countertop with a seemingly never-ending display case stretches almost the full length of the cafe.
Among their wide selection, fan favorites include the Crème Brûlée Cheesecake topped with raspberry preserves and the Bavarian Cream Croissant. Patrons are also offered a wide range of cafe beverages, such as lattes and teas.
Leaders at the company say that the decision to franchise was years in the making and included significant planning and preparation. And they say they are prepared to support the soon-to-be franchises with the necessary infrastructure and resources to grow in their own communities as part of a national chain.
“We’ve witnessed the firsthand embrace and loyalty from our existing guests in the communities we’re fortunate to be a part of, and we look forward to replicating that success with our franchise partners in new markets across the country,” said Graham Buckley, VP of Franchising.
The planned expansion is a continuation of a longstanding partnership with the Zorbas Group, a Cyprus-based food enterprise that has operated dozens of bakeries on the island since the 1970s.
By helping start up the The French Workshop in New York almost a decade ago, the group entered the U.S bakery market that was valued as a $20.1 billion industry last year.
“By combining forces with Zorbas, we are able to offer our guests delicious, sweet and savory offerings of the exceptional quality that they have come to know and love, all at a reasonable price. The Zorbas Group’s reputation proceeds them, and our joint efforts have paid off tremendously in giving our guests the best experience possible and keeping costs low for franchisees,” said Theodora Christophorou, Vice President of The French Workshop.
The Zorbas group anticipates that it will be able to continue streamlining operations throughout the even wider expansion efforts. For potential franchise owners, The French Workshop will offer support in site selection and training programs that cover every aspect of running a cafe, from customer service to designing the space.
After the Astoria location opens later this year, the owners of the Bayside-born business have their sights set on opening locations up along the East Coast in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C. and Florida.
