How Bagelstein’s freshly baked delicacies are conquering the global fast-food scene 

In an era where industrial mass production and frozen foods reign supreme, Bagelstein is a firm believer that the right way forward is to return to authentic, from-scratch baking. Every night, the company’s 42 pastry chefs and bakers gather in workshops to lovingly handcraft fresh bagels, brownies, cheesecakes, muffins, banana bread, and other delights. Thierry Veil. CEO of Bagelstein, provides valuable insights into the brand’s evolution from its roots in Strasbourg, France to a thriving franchise across Western Europe.  

“I started my career as a chartered accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers, a British company. In this role, I travelled all around the world, notably to the US, where I developed a fondness for bagels. In 2011, I co-founded Bagelstein with my stepbrother, who shares my passion for food. Beginning in my hometown of Strasbourg, France, we launched our first bagel store and based the company on two pillars. Firstly, we aimed for our brand to be amusing and bold by speaking to our clients’ minds and sense of humor as much as their taste buds. To achieve this, we heavily invested in marketing, promoting our brand through quirky items like Bagelstein aprons, t-shirts, pencils, and even toilet paper. Our second pillar is centered around high-quality food. From day one, we have not only been baking our own bagels but also our cookies, muffins, cheesecakes, crumbles, cakes, and other complementary products. Furthermore, our bagels are handcrafted without chemicals or preservatives, never frozen, and freshly baked daily. After the success of our original Strasbourg location, we expanded to two more stores in the area, with all items baked in the first store and subsequently delivered to the others. Given that Strasbourg is visited by people from all over Europe every month, Bagelstein captured the interest of many eager to see us expand to their home countries. This prompted us to adopt franchising as our primary operational model,” he relates.  

Beyond bagels 

Franchising led Bagelstein to expand both its national and international presence, as well as crafting a more elaborate menu. From regular items to seasonal additions, Thierry unveils the company’s delicious offerings. “Our concept is centered around a bagel and coffee shop, which means that we cater throughout the entire day for various meals, not just breakfast or lunch. In essence, we sell a diverse range of items for all meals of the day. Bagels account for only 45 percent of our sales, while desserts make up 35 percent. Recognizing that we were still serving the same nine recipes since our inception, we undertook a significant revamp of our bagel selection last year. Alongside our original Iconic range, with options like smoked salmon, pastrami, chicken, and veggie bagels, we introduced two new ranges. The Easy range features slightly smaller, more affordable bagels with delicious fillings, such as the popular scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheddar bagel. Additionally, our new Selection range offers premium hot bagels, marking our foray into the burger space. While we do not incorporate burger patties into our bagels, products in this range include pulled beef with melted cheddar and fried onions, fried cod with tartar sauce and fresh herbs, and fried chicken with satay sauce. By enhancing our bagel lineup, we have bolstered our competitiveness in both the burger and bagel markets,” he reveals.  

With this new and improved menu already in place at its existing locations, Bagelstein plans to take it across to new continents through a calculated expansion strategy. “By May, we will launch our inaugural store in India, which promises to be an interesting adventure as we tailor our store to fit the local culture. Meanwhile, we are progressing with expansion plans in the Middle East, with operations currently underway in Dubai and nearing finalization in Qatar. In Morocco, we are on the verge of signing a deal for travel retail locations, such as train stations and airports, building on our successful ventures in France situated in or near transportation hubs. Besides, we have established a presence in Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Italy. Our next European targets for expansion are Germany and the UK. Prior to venturing into the British market, which can be difficult, we have been carefully preparing. My attendance at a franchise show in London serves as a key step in this process,” Thierry says.  

Global growth 

Although international expansion is always an exciting venture, it necessitates certain considerations, particularly for a brand like Bagelstein, dedicated to providing homemade, non-frozen goods. Thierry explains how the company ensures the consistent delivery of fresh products, regardless of the location. “Our central bakery in Paris caters to all of Europe. Previously, we operated three bakeries in various regions of France. However, due to the diverse rotation of recipes, maintaining consistent quality across all locations was difficult. Focusing on a single central bakery has proven to be much more effective. Nevertheless, in the cases of India and Morocco, high import taxes prevent us from shipping our products there. Consequently, we will select vendors in those countries who will be able to bake our recipes on-site. In contrast, Qatar and Dubai prefer frozen products made in France.”  

From Strasbourg’s kitchens to global expansion, Bagelstein proves handmade, preservative-free baking can thrive.  

www.bagelstein.com