The market for cooking terminals - France

A cooking terminal, or "hot spot", is an establishment that cooks or reheats products previously manufactured elsewhere. Baking terminals therefore only carry out a commercial activity, and not an artisanal one, as it is not there that raw materials are transported for production. Baking terminals are mainly used in the boulangerie-pâtisserie sector, which is well established in France, with over 12 million consumers every day. 70% of the market is currently held by artisan bakers, leaving 30% for baking terminals. France boasts 1,357 baking terminals. While a bakery terminal may not bear the traditional name of a "boulangerie", it can sell the same products, and doesn't need any specific training or qualifications, since the know-how doesn't reside in the bakery terminal. In the bakery-pastry sector, baking terminals therefore represent great potential. Baking terminals are mainly based on franchises, and many major bakery chains offer the possibility of providing a franchise: Le Pain du Jour, Fournil de Pierre, Brioche Dorée, Fischer, La Mie Câline... You'll need to pay an entry fee and an annual royalty on sales, in addition to the purchase/rental of the site and equipment (oven and cold room). However, the initial capital outlay is quickly repaid, and franchising proves highly profitable and far less costly than running a conventional bakery. However, the sector is facing major challenges, not least the decline in bread consumption in France.