Paris Baguette is making c-suite changes in support of the popular bakery café concept’s efforts to expand nationwide.

The brand – which has its U.S. headquarters in Moonachie – recently announced five internal promotions:

Saeyong Park: Transitioning from vice president of finance and accounting to chief financial officer, Park has been with Paris Baguette for nine years and led corporate strategy as well as strategic planning.

Michelle Jagroop: Taking on the role of chief people officer, Jagroop was previously vice president of human resources and training, a position she held for the past five years. Her background also includes 25 years of human resources experience from multiple retail brands including Bowlero, Macy’s and Liz Claiborne.

Nick Scaccio: Named chief operating officer after nearly 20 years of operations experience and three years with Paris Baguette, Scaccio has also served as vice president of revenue and strategic development as well as vice president of operations during his time at Paris Baguette.

Eric Galkin: Elevated from vice president of supply chain management to chief supply chain officer, Galkin has three decades of experience in several high-end procurement and supply chain operations.

Cathy Chavenet: Stepping into the role of chief marketing officer, Chavenet previously led marketing and culinary initiatives as senior vice president & head of marketing at Paris Baguette. In addition to experience working with brands such as Dunkin’ and Wendy’s, she also owned and operated her own French bakery & café locations in New York City and Paris.

According to Paris Baguette CEO Darren Tipton, with the completed executive team in place, the brand is on track to open 100 locations this year and award an additional 150 franchises in the U.S. and Canada.

In a statement to NJBIZ, Tipton said, “2023 was an incredible year for growth in the Paris Baguette system, and with another big year ahead of us, it was only fitting to both celebrate these successes and prepare for ongoing growth by recognizing those who have played crucial roles all along.”

“The team at Paris Baguette is a huge part of what makes us who we are, and these five truly embody our brand values. I am proud to have them by my side as we continue to work toward reestablishing the neighborhood bakery café as the heart of the community across North America,” he said.

Known for its French-style sandwiches and freshly baked bread, pastries, dessert and coffee, the brand has grown to 4,000 units worldwide – including more than 150 restaurants in North America – since its founding four decades ago in South Korea.

In a bid to differentiate itself from other players in the $17 billion fast-casual bakery café space, Paris Baguette focuses almost exclusively on breads, cakes, pastries and beverages — unlike many other concepts that have drifted over into sandwiches and other lunch items.

As part of a larger goal to hit 1,000 units in the U.S. by 2030, Paris Baguette has been busy targeting new markets, including Florida, Arizona and Texas, as well as boosting its presence in existing ones, such as New Jersey and New York.

Within New Jersey, Paris Baguette has more than a dozen stores and expects to add eight more this year, starting with Plainsboro in February, according to Tipton.

The promotions come a few months after Paris Baguette hired popular doughnut franchise Duck Donuts’ former chief development officer, Eric Lavinder, to help lead expansion efforts, saying his knowledge and expertise will help propel the chain into its next phase.

The company also recently added in-house general counsel, Kyle Chung, to further support the growth of the Paris Baguette system.