Definition of your concept?

We started from one observation: consumers are more and more hard hurried. While wishing to control their meal times, they want to preserve their purchasing power and enjoy a solution to eat simply with authentic character. They refuse to compromise on product quality. Paul Bocuse’s desire was to invest in an original quick-service dining concept. Ouest Express was thus born just like thirteen years ago, the brasseries Nord, Sud, Est and Ouest marked an evolution from his gastronomic restaurant with 3 Michelin stars, the Auberge du Pont de Collonges. Even if the accent is placed on cooking know-how, Ouest Express remains accessible to the public at large by offering excellent value for money – with a complete meal for €9.90- and a very wide range of products in our universe characterized by the simplicity of the recipes – warm dishes, sandwiches, etc… 95% of the desserts are homemade and the bread is baked every two hours on site. Quality is also present in the raw materials, the welcome and the atmosphere of the establishment - design, architecture, a 12 meter long counter. Contrarily to what is often practiced in fast food, the cooking team is separate from the service team. The team of cooks was trained by a chef who officiated for a long time in the Paul Bocuse brasseries.

What are the reasons for your success in Lyon?

The first Ouest Express establishment opened on 15 January 2008 in the 9th district, in the Vaise Industrie business area near the movie theaters. This location is strategic because this quick service restaurant is not a destination venue like the Paul Bocuse brasserie but rather a venue of opportunity. The first Ouest Express now welcomes some 550 to 600 customers per day with an average check of about €12. After 6 to 8 months of launching difficulties, it has shown the capacity to reach sales revenues near that of the big players in the market while distinguishing itself through overall quality. We will open a second Ouest Express establishment at the beginning of October on the esplanade of the Part-Dieu commercial center.

Why are you developing your concept as a franchise?

Our concept is not a fade. It corresponds to an underlying trend and several great chefs like Alain Ducasse, Guy Martin from Grand Véfour and Marc Veyrat have already shown interest in quick dining. It makes a certain standard of cooking and a certain universe accessible to some people who wouldn’t otherwise have the means. It allows people to take their time at mealtime in a pleasant atmosphere. Franchising is a means of development that allows us to share our values with independent entrepreneurs who are rigorously selected and to exploit our potential in large cities. The Ouest Express concept certainly works in Lyon, Paul Bocuse’s historical stronghold for more than fifty years. But we want to carry out our development step by step, even if the notoriety of Paul Bocuse is the guarantee of quality everywhere in France. We have already been contacted to export our concept, particularly in the Middle East.

How are you building your development?

We are first seeking to conquer the local market with wholly-owned establishments, with a third Ouest Express planned for next year. In order to validate the concept where the branches benefit from easier recruitment and economies of scale for business administration. We have begun to materialize our know-how in an operating manual and to use intranet resources for training with the aid of a specialized consultant, Gilbert Mellinger, from the firm Epac International. But first and foremost, we wish to build our brand and reputation in quick-dining restaurants and make our know-how tangible. A strong anchoring of our roots will enable us to calmly make real choices in our future development, to have the will to delegate and progress culturally towards another way of operating without the notion of permanent control.

Comments gathered by François Simoneschi
Article from 12 June 2009 extract from Les Echos de la franchise.com