GiGi's Cupcakes - Franchise

A Bakery & Cupcake Franchise

Gigi’s offers a low-cost, low-risk and scalable bakery franchise that features gourmet cupcakes and bakery treats. Gigi’s Cupcakes has grown from a single store on Broadway near Nashville’s Music Row in 2008 to one of the most sought-after gourmet cupcake and bakery franchises in the country. With franchise locations across the U.S., our rapid growth and robust model elevates the business of celebrating life events into a great franchise opportunity with low occupancy and build-out costs.

Cupcakes have been an American mainstay for decades and an early episode of HBO’s Sex and the City propelled the gourmet cupcake to national popularity. Americans’ national obsession with cupcakes went on to spawn the Food Network show Cupcake Wars. Cupcakes are a major part of American culture, and there is unmet demand in communities across the country for a quality provider of gourmet cupcakes and other baked goods.

Topped with our signature swirl and backed by more than 300 proprietary recipes and flavors, a Gigi’s cupcake is a work of art. If you haven’t indulged in one of our cupcakes, you haven’t really had a gourmet cupcake. Our passionate franchisees make people smile, and our cupcakes are the talk of the room at any event.

An Increasing Market

Cupcakes are here to stay. There even is a National Cupcake Day, but for Gigi’s customers every day is a reason for celebration — with cupcakes.

In today’s fast paced world, people don’t have time to bake from scratch. They still want the celebratory feel that cakes bring, though, and our cupcake and bakery franchise offers the convenience, variety and individual portions that make cupcakes an easy choice.

Gigi’s rotates its menu seasonally, and its signature flavor names are delightfully creative. Although the convenient cupcake is our signature treat, we also offer a diverse menu designed to satisfy a variety of sweet-tooth cravings, such as mini-cupcakes, personal cheesecakes and fresh-baked cookies as well as coffees and tea in many locations. Gigi, alongside her culinary team of expert bakers and chefs culinary are constantly refining the menu.

Our reported sales are just a fraction of the growth potential for the cupcake industry. Several factors boost franchisees’ growth and success rate: company leadership steeped in franchise experience, advanced technology to enhance the customer experience, proprietary recipes and first in-class branding.

How To Become A Gigi’s Cupcakes Franchise Owner

Gigi’s is an attractive franchise that offers significantly lower food and labor costs than traditional baked-goods franchises. We are poised for continued growth and still have many attractive territories available for single-unit operators, and area developers. We’ve grown from a single location to nearly 100 in less than ten years. How did we attain that?

• A simple, proven business model. The Gigi’s business model provides many off-premise opportunities such as event catering, online ordering, “Sweet Lane” pick-up windows, business-to-business sales, satellite store, pop-ups, kiosks and food truck expansion. Gigi’s has more than 300 proprietary and proven recipes, and our franchisees do not need prior bakery experience. Staffing needs are simple and efficient, with three main components: a baker, a decorator and a customer service representative.
• Advanced technology infrastructure. Gigi’s is developing a robust technology infrastructure that includes a fully integrated, easy-to-navigate website, with state-of-the-art online ordering capability, upgraded Apple and Android apps, and point-of-sale systems. The new digital delivery option will make it even more convenient for customers to order from Gigi’s inside and outside the store, and enables us to greatly improve our rewards system, increasing repeat sales and generating revenue.
• Low operating costs. A Gigi’s Cupcakes franchise boasts lower costs than average food businesses of similar size and the typical quick service restaurants. Space buildout costs are typically lower because more expensive features found in restaurants, such as large grease traps and hoods, are generally not required. Additionally, Gigi’s average food costs are often around 5% lower than similar food businesses.
• Training and support from a powerhouse leadership team. Gigi’s leadership has many years of combined experience leading national, multi-unit franchises. Our executive team is building the infrastructure for a true national brand. Our owners go through extensive management training to learn the “Gigi’s way,” and our corporate marketing support ensures owners have the support they need.
• Stellar brand recognition. Gigi’s has built unparalleled brand equity through our founder, Gigi Butler, combined with our focus on customer service, dedication to quality and commitment to the communities in which we operate. Additionally, Gigi’s appearance on Undercover Boss in 2015 helped elevate brand awareness even further. Social media drives our brand recognition, with fans flocking to our bakery franchises. We want people to think of Gigi’s when they celebrate, and we want them to celebrate when they see the Gigi’s signature box.

Next Steps?

Now is a great time to invest in a Gigi’s cupcake and bakery franchise. We have powerful national buying power — which lowers operating costs — and we’ve leveraged the latest technology to help streamline digital ordering which enables our franchisees to tap into the lucrative celebration business far beyond the four walls of their franchises. For anyone with a passion for making people smile and a love of gourmet cupcakes, Gigi’s is an amazing and affordable franchise opportunity.