Listen to this articleThe basics:
- Paris Baguette appoints hospitality veteran Zac Sulma as COO
- Sulma will strengthen franchise operations, support rapid expansion
- Brand aims to reach 1,000 North American café locations by 2023
Paris Baguette is bringing on a hospitality industry veteran as its new chief operating officer.
In a Nov. 10 press release welcoming Zac Sulma, the Moonachie-based bakery café franchise said his background in multi-unit operations will help support its goal of reaching 1,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada by 2023.
As COO, Sulma will focus on enhancing the operational framework to support growth, as well as ensure both new and existing franchisees are set up for long-term success.
The position has been vacant since last spring, when Nick Scaccio transitioned from chief operating officer to chief development officer. As part of a series of internal promotions in January 2024, the company elevated Scaccio from vice president of operations to COO. Scaccio is also a recent NJBIZ Executive Excellence Awards winner.
Prior to Paris Baguette, Sulma served as chief sales officer at Lucky Strike Entertainment, according to his LinkedIn page.
In September, Lucky Strike’s bowling-bocce-bistro concept Pinstripes filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid growing debt and declining business. Pinstripes closed several locations – including its spot at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus.
Sulma’s background also includes positions at Bowlero Corp. and Bowlmor AMF. In 2023, Bowlero acquired Lucky Strike in a $90 million all-cash deal. Soon after, it rebranded as Lucky Strike Entertainment.
Making connections
Paris Baguette noted that Sulma has previous professional experience with members of the chain’s leadership team. That includes working with CEO Darren Tipton back in the early 2010s when they were with Bowlmor AMF.
Tipton said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Zac to the Paris Baguette family. His proven track record of driving operational excellence and people-first mentality align perfectly with Paris Baguette’s goals and values. His leadership will be crucial in supporting our franchisees as we all work to reestablish the neighborhood bakery café as the heart of the communities we serve.”
Founded four decades ago in South Korea, Paris Baguette is known across its 4,000-plus locations worldwide for serving freshly prepared pastries, cakes and breads. After opening its first U.S. franchise site in 2015, the fast-casual brand now has nearly 260 sites in North America.
People first
“I’m incredibly excited to be at Paris Baguette,” Sulma said. “The culture and expectation of success, all with a strong emphasis on the people-first mentality, is always front and center. The number one goal for me, as we work toward 1,000 cafés, is to do that effectively. It’s not just a 1,000-unit finish line; our focus is on getting there with efficient, high-performing cafés while maintaining the operational performance of our current locations.”
He went on to say, “I tie our franchisees’ success with my success. We must remember what and who got us to the point where we are today and continue to serve the franchisees who have already become established with the brand. They are just as important as the new franchisees we are trying to attract. People are the most important; my ‘client’ is my team and franchisees, and they will see they’re truly important in how we operate on a daily basis.”
