Corner Bakery regenerates through heritage, modernization, and expansion while investing in people, technology, and growth
As Corner Bakery Cafe (Corner Bakery) approaches its 35th anniversary in November, 2026, the company is focusing on revival and growth. Launched in 1991 as a bakery for Maggiano’s Little Italy in downtown Chicago, Corner Bakery has become a fast-casual chain with about 90 locations nationwide. With new ownership and a renewed vision, the brand is investing in food, restaurants, technology, people, and a robust growth strategy.
President Erin Hasselgren is driving that effort. After spending nearly two decades with Corner Bakery from 1998 to 2016, Erin returned in 2023 following SSCP Management, Inc.’s acquisition of the company. He moved from Chief Operating Officer to President the next year, now guiding strategy, operations, culture, and expansion at this pivotal time.
Erin’s long history with Corner Bakery shapes his perspective on its growth and challenges. “We’re very resilient. We don’t get overwhelmed very easily because we’ve been through a lot in our 35 years. We know where we came from and where we’re going,” he shares.
Instead of reinventing the brand, Corner Bakery’s next chapter centers on what made it special from the beginning. When Erin returned, he made food quality his top priority, from ingredients and sourcing to recipes and preparation. “We offer a genuinely diverse menu, with fresh options for breakfast, lunch and dinner that make it easy to enjoy something different every day. From scramblers, pancakes and pastries to salads, sandwiches, paninis and homemade soups, all our recipes are developed in-house. It’s a menu designed to keep people coming back day after day without ever feeling short of choice. Everything we make is to order, so guests can customize their meals however they like, and everything is prepared fresh.”
This focus on fundamentals extends to the products at the heart of Corner Bakery’s heritage. The company is renewing long-time supplier relationships and revisiting classic recipes as part of a broader revitalization. “This year has been about strengthening our partnerships to elevate the quality of our core offerings. We worked with Pete Rogers and his family at Java City to source exceptional coffee beans and the perfect roast in their roasting facility in Sacramento, CA. The result is a richer, more flavorful coffee rroast. We’re also partnering with Don Smith at French Gourmet and Shells by Design to develop an entirely new dessert and sweets offering that is very unique to our heritage. Furthermore, we returned to our roots by working with Willie Zimberoff at our original Chicago commissary that Willie now owns as 3D Baking, to create new bread recipes. These collaborations have helped us bring even more quality and consistency to our cafes.”
Investing in improvements
With the recipes set, Corner Bakery’s growth strategy now reaches into restaurants, technology, and operations. The company is investing in both physical locations and digital infrastructure as guest expectations evolve.
Remodel projects are underway across the company’s locations, while self-order kiosks, updated systems, and new digital tools are reshaping operations behind the scenes. “It takes a lot of investment, patience, belief, and passion in the brand. We’re always remodeling and will keep updating until the entire brand is refreshed. We’ve invested heavily in information technology, and it advances so quickly that you always have to be 12 to 18 months ahead.”
One major initiative currently underway is the redesign of Corner Bakery’s loyalty platform, connecting retail and catering customers through a single rewards ecosystem. This integration matters, since catering has always been a core revenue driver rather than just a side offering. “Our loyalty program will let our retail and catering guests use one wallet, no matter how they spend. They’ll be able to redeem rewards as one wallet, which we’ve never offered in the brand’s history,” Erin points out.
He adds, “About 35 percent of our sales come from catering. So, it’s a huge business. Even today, there are bigger and newer brands, but we can still produce an incredible volume of catering in a short time. Our product is just well suited to catering.”
Value is a top priority as consumers stay selective about where they spend, and as such, Corner Bakery has responded with the Choose Two promotion, offering flexibility and affordability while keeping the menu broad. “We have an amazing value offer. It’s a $6.99 Choose Two, so you can get any combination of sandwich, salad, panini, soup or pasta. It’s a half and half. There’s nothing better out there from a value standpoint, and it’s really, really good food,” Erin notes.
“We’re seeing about 24 extra guests per day coming in for the Choose Two. That’s really significant. It’s made a real difference for our sales this year. We were positive for quarter two, and we plan to stay positive for the rest of the year.”
Communication and accountability
Behind operational improvements is a leadership philosophy centered on internal development. Erin believes long-term growth depends on creating opportunities for employees to advance within the company. “We try to hire 30 percent from outside, but we develop about 70 percent of our people from within. We’re focusing on helping our general managers to become area directors through our managing partner program and supporting our hourly employees as they move into management with our key employee program.”
That commitment has shaped a culture built on communication, accountability, and shared purpose. “We’re always working to educate our team. We communicate often, whether through all-GM meetings or weekly updates. We want everyone to be well informed and fully aware of what we’re doing and why.
“The response to franchising has been incredible,” Erin enthuses. “We’ve brought on three new franchisees this year, marking the first time we’ve welcomed new franchise partners into the brand since 2017, and we have many more in the pipeline. It’s an exciting time for growth, and we believe the improvements we’ve made across our food offering are helping to strengthen the brand as we expand.”
In turn, this internal focus supports the company’s expansion plans. “We’ll keep growing through franchising, and we’re aiming for ten percent growth as we head into 2027. We’re also looking at international opportunities. We currently have a letter of intent (LOI) for international expansion and can’t wait to make that a reality.”
For Erin, the next phase always comes back to the people behind the brand. “I truly believe we have the best employees in the industry. We’re focused on growing at a comfortable, sustainable pace, and that wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our ownership team at SSCP, our home office team and our dedicated field operations teams,” he concludes. “Their investment, resilience and commitment have been instrumental in helping us bring the brand back to where it belongs, and I couldn’t be prouder to lead such a talented group of people. Special thanks goes out to Chris Dharod, who supported Corner Bakery Cafe as CEO for the first two years after transition, and to Jeff Hetsel, President of Cici’s Pizza, also owned by SSCP, who has been partnering with Corner Bakery Cafe since QTR 3 of 2025 as Chief Brand Officer.
Jeff’s experience with Cici’s has translated to quicker results and milestones for the Corner Bakery Cafe brand.”