Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café, the ultra-popular restaurant brand specializing in sweet and savory crêpes, hot drinks and more, announced a multi-unit deal that will bring four stores to Minnesota, specifically the Minneapolis and St. Paul areas. With this entrance into a new state, these units will increase Sweet Paris' total store count to 25 locations in the near future, with 15 in various stages of development.
Behind this momentous deal is a group of partners with more than 55 years of restaurant franchise experience combined: Dan and Brenda Vansteenburg, Dustin Wetzel and Pete Thelen. Dan and Brenda Vansteenburg, a dynamic husband and wife duo, started their restaurant career with Jimmy John's in 2001. They currently own and operate 35 stores in the Twin Cities market. The Vansteenburgs found a sweet spot in franchising but weren't always involved in the industry. Dan began his professional career as a special education teacher and then worked for an information technology firm. Throughout his various roles, a passion for people has always remained centric and played a crucial role in building a franchise empire.
"After our first visit with the Sweet Paris leadership team in Houston, we knew this was a concept we wanted to pursue and bring to the Twin Cities," said Dan Vansteenburg. "Everything about the brand, from the authentic menu to the charming store design that transports you to the streets of Paris, brings a unique experience that the people of Minnesota will be excited about."
With this robust growth, Sweet Paris is now present in eight metropolitan areas across the nation: Houston TX, Austin, TX, San Antonio TX, Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, Miami, FL, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, Oklahoma City, OK and Tulsa, OK. Additionally, the brand is present in College Station, TX and Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.
"We are thrilled to take Sweet Paris to the wonderful people of Minnesota," said Allison Chavez, co-founder of Sweet Paris. "We believe the state is a prime market to grow the brand and we are honored to be working with local business leaders such as Dan, Dustin and Pete to propel the Sweet Paris brand further north, contributing to our goal of nationwide expansion."
The recent success of Sweet Paris has not gone unnoticed as the brand was recently ranked on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2022 Top New and Emerging Franchises. The brand also made history when it secured a place on Entrepreneur's esteemed Franchise 500® list for the first time in January. Also, co-founders Allison and Ivan Chavez recently landed on Global Franchise Magazine's 10 Emerging Leaders to Watch in 2022, and Allison was included in Nation's Restaurant News' annual Power List, an exclusive group of 50 leaders who are identified as the most innovative and inspiring people in the restaurant industry.
The brand has quickly become one of the hottest restaurant franchises in Texas with an extravagant ambiance and delicious food and drinks made of the highest quality ingredients and bold flavors. Made from scratch, the dishes are as delicious as they are beautiful. The lavish interiors and the artful food and drinks make Sweet Paris a favorite place for haute social media influencers.