Gourmet Cupcake Bakery to Add Locations

Amid rising sales and the debut of a new bakery design, Gigi’s Cupcakes, America’s largest cupcake and specialty baked goods franchise, plans to open 25 locations this year.

Through the first quarter, Gigi’s Cupcakes saw same-store sales – a key indicator of a retail company’s health – increase more than 4 percent. In the same period, total sales grew 22 percent at the more than 90 Gigi’s Cupcakes locations.

Company executives attribute the sales growth partly to the brand’s strategic efforts to diversify its product offerings. In recent years, Gigi’s Cupcakes has added cheesecakes, pies, bread loaves, specialty coffee and more to drive more guests to its bakeries across multiple day parts. Those newer menu items are in addition to the 40 million cupcakes the brand has sold since its founding in 2008.

“With delicious products inspired by the freshness and high quality of our gourmet cupcakes, we’re giving guests more reasons than ever to visit our bakeries,” said Alan Thompson, CEO. “Our diversified menu, bolstered leadership team and new bakery prototype are spurring demand from new and existing franchisees to open more locations.”

In a move to further grow sales of the brand’s diverse menu, Gigi’s Cupcakes recently unveiled a new bakery prototype in Jonesboro, Ark.; Fargo, N.D.; Kansas City, Mo.; and Jackson, Tenn. The new design features upgrades such as refrigerated bakery cases, high-definition electronic menu boards as well as greater seating capacity compared to traditional locations.

Gigi’s Cupcakes has opened three franchise locations this year with nine more currently under development. Gigi’s Cupcakes, best known for its signature “Gigi’s swirl,” offers a variety of gourmet desserts, including 300 rotating cupcake flavors, mini cupcakes and custom cakes, all of which are freshly baked and decorated daily at local Gigi’s Cupcakes bakeries.