Over the years and despite the upheavals of the last one, Juliette Brun has never crossed out the wish to become a franchiser from her desires. "I have been working on a franchise document for three or four years, telling myself that it will come. We have had several offers, and opportunities that did not work out. Above all, I wanted it to be done comfortably and above all, with a good fit."

Step by step, the French woman of Brazilian origin wanted to ensure that she offered a proven model. “My branches are all profitable and have proven themselves over time. I am able to supply the raw materials. I know how to train. All the management mechanisms are well-oiled and optimized. I needed this confidence in my system in order to get started.”

The first elected Juliette & Chocolat franchisee is Majd Najjar, a passionate restaurateur who holds a Master's degree in business management. "For me, it was important to select a curious person who wants to learn. I was looking for an operator, a manager who is on the ground, and not just an investor. What I liked about Majd is that he loves the floor, he wants to be present with his teams."

The first franchise will open its doors in Dollard-des-Ormeaux at the end of May. “That he is motivated to launch in the middle of a pandemic speaks volumes about his commitment,” Juliette emphasizes. In recent months, Majd has been going from restaurant to restaurant to take training courses and see different sizes of restaurants and teams.”

In the medium term, Juliette Brun plans to open her own branches in primary markets (large centres) and franchises in secondary markets, in the regions. “There are several of my red hats (her employees) who would like to open their own franchise. If necessary, I could create a hybrid model in which we would partner with them in the adventure. Investing in a concept that you know well and like is often easier. It would be a great way for us to thank them and encourage growth.”

Opening up to partnerships

The pandemic year was also the year when the co-founder took great pleasure in developing partnerships with Quebec companies. “We all found ourselves alone, each on our own, while what drives us in the business is contact with people. I started writing on Facebook to entrepreneurs I like but didn't know! (laughs). I had never done that.”

First on the list: Maison Lavande , with whom Juliette developed a salted caramel chocolate infused with lavender. With Marilou Bourdon, she also created three spreads specially designed for Trois fois par jour . “It’s a great way to develop a product that we wouldn’t have done alone and to reach an audience that doesn’t know us.”

Of the 10 restaurants in Montreal and Greater Montreal, only one (the one on Laurier Avenue) closed its doors for good during the pandemic, due to a disagreement with the owner of the premises.

Full of projects, Juliette Brun developed a Juliette & Chocolat application and a delivery service to compensate for lost revenue in dining rooms. Her fondues, hot chocolates and spreads are now distributed in various Quebec grocery stores. The mother of five also published a recipe book Les Brownies de Juliette in 2020 with Éditions La Presse.