Australia’s biggest bakery chain, Bakers Delight, is set to start kneading its dough in the United States, with plans to open its first store in the west coast city of Seattle in March.
Bakers Delight chief executive Lesley Gillespie said the bread maker was ready to tackle the more aggressive US market, having opened 38 outlets in neighbouring Canada in the last three years, starting in Vancouver.
“Now that we understand the North American region, we’re ready to tackle parts of the US,” Ms Gillespie said.
The company, which started out in Melbourne 26 years ago, said Seattle was a logical stepping stone because of its proximity to Vancouver, where it operates under the COBS Bread banner.
It said the two cities shared similar consumer and cultural profiles, and with a potential 300 million-strong customer base, the American market represented a lucrative opportunity.
“Our only competitors in the American market are supermarkets,” Ms Gillespie said.
“We expect our fresh bread and personal service, plus the size of the population to generate revenues higher than the average annual sales per bakery in Australia, which is about $700,000.”
Bakers Delight plans to open 10 branches in Seattle in the next 12 months, and to bump up its North American presence to more than 100 stores within the next two years.
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