Groupe Le Duff
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Louis Le Duff |
| Headquarters | Rennes , France |
Area served | Europe, Americas |
Key people | Louis Le Duff (Founder) |
| Products | Restaurants, bakeries |
Number of employees | 28000 (2014) |
Groupe Le Duff is a French multinational restaurant group operating more than 1,310 dining establishments and bakeries throughout Europe and the Americas. Its portfolio features brands such as Bridor, La Madeleine, Kamps, Mimi's Cafe, Pizza Del Arte, and Brioche Dorée.
The company was established in 1976 by Louis Le Duff with the launch of the inaugural Brioche Dorée in Brest, France. As of 2014, the group achieved €1.5 billion in revenue and employed a workforce of 28,000. The corporate headquarters are situated in Rennes, France.
History
The inception of Brioche Dorée occurred in 1976 when Louis Le Duff invested €1,500 to introduce a groundbreaking “French-style” fast food concept.
In 1983, the group broadened its scope by creating the "Pizzeria Lucio" chain. Following its purchase from Accor Group in 1996, Pizzeria Lucio merged with Pizza Del Arte and was subsequently rebranded as Del Arte.
The initial Bridor production site was established in Montreal in 1984 before being relocated to Servon-sur-Vilaine in Ille-et-Vilaine four years afterward.
Further expansion included the acquisition of Fournil de Pierre in 1989. More recently, in July 2022, Groupe Le Duff purchased Lecoq Cuisine Corp., a Connecticut-based producer specializing in Viennese and French-style pastries.
Le Duff America
Le Duff America oversees the group's restaurant operations within the United States, including La Madeleine Country French Café, Brioche Dorée, and Mimi's Cafe. Based in Dallas, Texas, this division was formed following Groupe Le Duff’s acquisition of Bruegger's in 2011. Upon acquisition, Bruegger's CEO James J. Greco and Claude Bergeron, who led Groupe Le Duff’s earlier US ventures, were appointed as co-CEOs of Le Duff America. In 2017, Bruegger's was divested to Caribou Coffee.
In 2018, MTY Food Group expanded its North American coffee and bakery holdings by acquiring Timothy's World Coffee and Mmmuffins from Le Duff America.