What does Elkhart, Indiana’s Main Street have in common with the famed Avenue des Champs
Élysées in Paris? Thanks to new Le Macaron Franchise Owners Michael and Tonda Lucchese,
both streets feature chic cafés that sell authentic French macarons and pastries!
We’re thrilled to welcome the Luccheses to our bakery franchise family. Here’s a little bit about
our new Franchise Owners, including the story of how they discovered the Le Macaron franchise
opportunity.
From Coffee Supplies to Coffee Franchise
Prior to investing in their Le Macaron franchise, both Mike and Tonda had amassed experience
in the food service industry, though their expertise was on opposite ends of the spectrum. For
15 years, Tonda managed a national distribution company that sold coffee supplies and installed
brewers in various restaurant and hospitality establishments. Meanwhile, Mike worked as a chef
at a golf course, where he also acted as superintendent. With a pedigree like that, it’s safe to say
the Luccheses have the right background to effectively own and operate a French patisserie like
Le Macaron!
The couple became interested in franchising and began researching potential opportunities
online to try to find a good fit for their interests, backgrounds and lifestyle. When they first saw
the Le Macaron opportunity, they saw how our bakery franchise could be a big hit in their
hometown of Elkhart, Indiana. As Tonda tells us, “There is nothing like this close to Elkhart!”
Exploring the Le Macaron Franchise Opportunity
Mike and Tonda qualified for our Franchise Discovery Process, which gave them an opportunity
to dive deep into the Le Macaron franchise opportunity. With the help of their Franchise
Development Director, the Luccheses were able to learn more about key elements of the Le
Macaron franchise, including our outstanding earning potential and simple operations that
require no baking on the part of the Franchise Owner. The couple says that the simplicity of the
Le Macaron franchise model was one of the things the couple liked most about the opportunity,
along with the quality of our authentic macarons, creamy gelato, French pastries, and gourmet
coffee.
Achievement Unlocked: Discovery Day
To complete their Franchise Discovery Process, Mike and Tonda were invited to meet our
Founders and corporate team at our Sarasota headquarters for Discovery Day. There, the
Luccheses had the opportunity to tour our confectionary where thousands upon thousands of
macarons and other delightful pastries are prepared under the watchful eye of a French-trained
pastry chef, Didier Saba, then distributed to Le Macaron locations across the country. They also
got to visit our flagship café location in Sarasota’s St. Armands Circle, where they could get a
behind-the-scenes look at a day in the life of a Le Macaron Franchise Owner and taste all the
delicacies
.
The couple enjoyed meeting the Founders and corporate team, proclaiming them “great people”
and being impressed with the passion they bring to the pastry franchise. “We love their passion.
It shows in the products,” Mike notes. Tonda adds, “We would not have invested money and
time in this if the product was sub par. We only ell the best product available to our customers
and that’s what they expect.”
Mike mentioned that getting to see the inner workings of the Le Macaron franchise model
further cemented the simplicity of its operations, saying, “I was able to learn about everything
and see how the product was made.” Discovery Day solidified the Luccheses’ decision to move
forward with their pastry franchise investment.
Now Open in Elkhart, Indiana!
After signing their Le Macaron franchise agreement, Mike and Tonda began the process of
readying their Elkhart location for its grand opening. With the help of the Le Macaron corporate
team, the couple secured their café location and began making preparations for their early
October 2022 opening. As predicted by the Luccheses, Elkhart residents were eager to
experience a taste of Paris right on their Main Street. She notes, “We wanted to offer something
that was not available in our area, and the sky’s the limit on what you make of it.”
Four months into their Le Macaron franchise ownership journey, Mike and Tonda are finding
their backgrounds in business management within the hospitality industry are serving them
well. Tonda chalks the couple’s success up to “previous restaurant experience, and we’ve been in
customer service all our lives,” while Mike also attributes it to a genetic predisposition for
entrepreneurship. “It runs in the family,” he says, adding, “I’ve been an entrepreneur a couple
other times in life and love being my own boss.”
The Luccheses look forward to the future of their Le Macaron franchise and are excited to meet
their new guests and provide a unique experience, along with reaping the considerable benefits
of self-employment. As Mike says, “The sky’s the limit.”
Open a Le Macaron Franchise in Your Neighborhood
The Luccheses have succeeded in bringing a taste of France to their Elkhart, Indiana
community—how about you? If you have always dreamed of owning a chic pastry café but don’t
know how to bake (or simply don’t want to), Le Macaron might be the perfect franchise
opportunity for you! Our simple, scalable operations, competitive investment and impressive
earnings potential makes Le Macaron an ideal franchise opportunity for those who want to
establish a healthier work-life balance while building a legacy for their families.
Additionally, as America’s number one macaron franchise, Le Macaron is a smart investment for
entrepreneurs like Mike and Tonda, who want to tap into a niche market within their
communities. Because macarons are still not a commonplace food in many U.S. cities, there is
likely little to no competition in your market, making this a smart investment that can help you
build a bright future as a Le Macaron Franchise Owner!
Visit our macaron franchise website today for more information on qualifying for our Franchise
Discovery Process.
