The co-founder of Chip City Cookies is turning to croissants.
Peter Phillips, the co-founder of the New York City-based cookie brand, last year raised $17.5 million in funding led by restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Enlightened Hospitality Investments to grow the concept. Now with 45 company-owned Chip City units in nine states and another seven in development, that brand is still growing—and, in fact, is now franchising for the first time.
Phillips, meanwhile, last year created a second brand called Somedays Bakery, which focuses on the laminated dough that is traditionally used for croissants.
Lattice croissants use the same laminated dough with a different shape. | Photo courtesy of Somedays.
But Somedays’ pastries are not just plain old croissants.
Sure, there are the classic almond and chocolate croissants on the menu. But a top seller is a Pistachio Lattice, for example, with pistachio frangipane, raspberry jam and white chocolate. There might be a Twice Baked croissant with tahini frangipane and black sesame brittle; or a savory lattice croissant stuffed with prosciutto and gruyère.
These are not hybrid croissants, like the Cronut craze of a few years back. Phillips said Somedays is designed to fill what he sees as a gap in the U.S. market for European-style pastry shops that focus on laminated dough with creative flavors.
“We really step it up, in terms of creativity,” Phillips said. “Our chief culinary officer is extremely talented and has put together an amazing menu of options.”
Phillips is referring to veteran baker Arlander Brown, previously of the Manhattan bakery Librae, who is Somedays’ chief culinary officer.
After opening the first location in Queens last year, Phillips decided to jump right off the bat into franchising with Somedays. The first franchised unit opened earlier this year in Long Island City, and two more are scheduled to open in the next three months. Phillips expects to end the year with 10.
But the plan to grow Somedays is very different than the path Phillips took with Chip City.
All of Chip City’s current units are company owned. That brand began in a tiny less-than-300-square foot space. Phillips, who had a background in real estate and construction, developed the concept to fit the location, with little equipment needed.
The cookie brand uses a commissary model to serve the retail locations. The many varieties of cookies are made in the commissary, frozen, and shipped to stores, where the cookies are baked fresh. It’s a simple operation, and it was just a “happy accident” that the dough was improved by the freezing process, Phillips said.
For Somedays, on the other hand, the laminated dough is made fresh in each unit, though it’s really only one dough that is dressed up different ways. Having a full bakery in each store opens up opportunity on the menu, he said.
The laminated dough is made in house at each location. | Photo courtesy of Somedays.
It also means locations are a bit bigger. The first unit is 800-square feet, but Phillips said 1,200- to 1,500-square feet is more likely the sweet spot.
Fundamentally, franchising was more attractive for growing the concept, given high interest rates and the difficulty obtaining capital these days, said Phillips.
For franchise operators, Somedays is attractive because it focuses mostly on daytime hours, between 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.—though last summer Phillips added a soft-serve machine to Somedays in Queens to give customers reason to come in the evenings, at least during summer months.
The U.S. is having a bit of a bakery boom. Over the past year or so, independent bakeries have been popping up all over, while international chains are also growing across the country.
Phillips contends that boom has been fueled in part by the decline of casual dining, which has forced many in the industry to look for new ways to showcase their talents.
And, fundamentally, Americans love a quality croissant.
“You’re not going to go make your own croissants in the morning,” said Phillips. “Even if you’re eating healthfully, it’s an area where you might indulge.”