Le Macaron French Pastries is a family-owned bakery franchise founded in 2009 by Rosalie Guillem and her daughter Audrey Guillem-Saba in Sarasota, Florida. The company is still headquartered in Sarasota and has grown steadily since its inception.

The brand began franchising in 2012. Franchise formats include traditional cafés, kiosks, and mobile carts, providing flexible models for different markets and budgets.

Le Macaron specializes in authentic French macarons, which are gluten-free and made with no preservatives. It also offers handcrafted gelato, chocolates, pastries, European-style coffee, and gourmet candies—all prepared by French-trained chefs and delivered from a central commissary.

What sets Le Macaron apart is its elegant, Parisian-style atmosphere combined with a simplified operational model. With no on-site baking required and minimal staffing needs, it provides a turnkey business opportunity while delivering a luxury dessert experience that stands out in the U.S. market.

Training

Le Macaron French Pastries provides a structured suite of training programs designed to ensure the successful operation of each franchise location. The training offerings include:

1. Initial Training Program: At least 30 days before opening a Pastry Shop, the Managing Owner and one additional individual (typically a Key Person) must attend and successfully complete Le Macaron’s initial training. This is held over three to four days, primarily at a Pastry Shop in Orlando, Florida, with an optional additional day in Sarasota, Florida. Up to two people can attend at no charge, but franchisees are responsible for all associated expenses, such as travel and lodging.
2. Refresher Training: For the first Pastry Shop developed, a one-day refresher course is provided at a designated location in Orlando. While there’s no attendance fee, all other training-related expenses fall on the franchisee.
3. Mandatory Additional Training: Le Macaron may require the Managing Owner, Key Person, or other designated managerial employees to attend further training courses or seminars. The franchisee must cover a $300 per diem rate per trainer plus expenses for these sessions.
4. Remedial Training: If operations fall below Le Macaron’s standards, they may mandate that the Managing Owner and staff attend remedial training, again at the franchisee’s expense.

Territory Protection

Le Macaron French Pastries does provide a form of territorial protection to its franchisees through the designation of a “Protected Area.” This area, mutually agreed upon and detailed in Attachment B of the Franchise Agreement, is defined using identifiable boundaries such as zip codes or city lines.

However, this protection explicitly excludes “Captive Markets” like airports, malls, or amusement parks, which remain open to other franchisees or corporate operations. Despite this protected designation, Le Macaron does not grant an exclusive territory.

Franchisees may still face competition from other franchisees or corporate-owned outlets, including operations under different trademarks. Additionally, the franchisor retains the right to sell products via alternate channels such as grocery stores, the internet, and catering services—even within the Protected Area.