Over the past few years, macarons have made their way across the pond, quickly becoming an American obsession. You’ll see them in specialty bake shops and even major supermarkets. However, many would argue that you won’t find the real thing outside of Paris. That is, of course, unless you visit Woops!.
Since debuting in 2012 with a macaron pop-up-shop in the heart of New York City, Woops! has continued to provide a quintessential Parisian experience to millions of customers across the country. Having grown to over 40 locations across the country in six short years, more than half of which have opened in the last two years alone, the New York-based franchise is looking to open as many as 100 additional locations over the next several years.
“Macarons are hot. The classic French dessert, though popular in Europe for centuries, is now the ‘in’ treat in the United States. In fact, many are referring to the French macaron as ‘the new cupcake,’” says Tal Avivi, Chief Marketing and Design Officer of Woops! “Already established as the largest retailer of French macarons in the United States, we look forward to spreading our love of macarons and other international desserts even further over the next several years and beyond.”
The Woops! journey began in 2012 when Avivi, along with three others, opened a macaron pop-up shop at the Holiday Shops in New York City’s Bryant Park. In nine short weeks they sold 100,000 macarons and made $250,000. The group then realized that “Woops!”, they had a thriving business. Building on the momentum and popularity of Bryant Park, the four friends soon opened boutique mall kiosk franchises in major malls throughout the Northeast.
Today, Woops! serves handmade classic French macarons in over 20 flavors, as well as 30 other international desserts, all of which are produced in, and shipped frozen and ready to bake from the company’s artisanal bakery in New York City. However, the product offering isn’t limited to cookies and sweets. Woops! also features fresh sandwiches that are simple in concept but huge in flavor. Woops! also has custom procured and roasted coffee, select teas and other unique beverages that pair exceptionally well with all the pastry and confectionery offerings.
“We provide our customers with the rare experience of getting artisanal European-styled food for remarkably affordable prices,” says Raj Bhatt, co-founder and CFO of Woops!. “The Woops! experience goes well beyond a standard bakeshop experience. We are also in the business of making every occasion, small or large, memorable and meaningful.”
Whether it’s a wedding, baby shower, business meeting, or client gift, Woops! works creatively to produce a dessert that personalizes and enhances each event’s theme and styling. For any event or celebration, Woops! offers eye-catching macaron pyramids, beautifully designed gift boxes, elegant party favors and customized macarons with company logos, taglines and more.
“Everything we do is beautiful—from the product to the packaging to the store design, everything is intended to create an experience that stimulates all one’s senses and evokes emotions. It’s welcoming, it’s calming and it’s creativity-inducing, and something that many connect with,” says Avivi. “We saw the need for a product that you could share with friends and family and a treat that sparked conversations. That’s what a macaron does. It’s unique, it’s beautiful and it creates a shared experience between people.”
The Woops! franchise model is extremely flexible, offering franchise partners the option to open a macaron kiosk or an in-line bakeshop, both of which are designed to be easy to operate and manage for maximum profits.
With investments starting at $79,875 for a kiosk and $197,725 for an in-line bakeshop, Woops! offers investors a low entry cost with a high potential return. In 2017, the company’s in-line bakeshops generated average sales of $32,017 per month, and kiosks generated average sales of $24,897 per month in the same year.