Dallas — La Madeleine, a beloved, French-founded neighborhood café and bakery, has appointed seasoned restaurant and franchise industry executive John Dillon as its new president, further strengthening its next-level growth leadership and aggressive expansion plans under Groupe Le Duff.
Dillon most recently served as founder and principal lead at HMS Growth Partners, an advisory firm supporting leaders and companies across diverse industries, including restaurants, hospitality, retail, education and franchising. Prior to HMS, he spent over 16 years at Denny’s, where he held a succession of senior leadership roles, including EVP chief marketing officer, EVP chief brand officer and, ultimately, president of the nearly 1,600-unit chain. Additionally, Dillon has held senior leadership roles at Yum! Brands, among others.
“John’s extensive experience in the franchise restaurant industry brings exceptional leadership, strategic vision and a talent for driving authentic and aggressive transformation, which are all key qualities to guide la Madeleine into its next phase of expansion,” says Lionel Ladouceur, chief executive officer of Groupe LeDuff Worldwide Café Bakery. “We have big plans, and his proven ability to deliver results, foster innovation and connect with team members at every level, combined with his passion for the industry and our brand, makes him the ideal leader to build on our strong foundation and shape a bright future for la Madeleine.”
At la Madeleine, Dillon will be responsible for driving sales, increasing the number of franchise partners, expanding the brand’s market presence and further enhancing plans around store-level profitability, operational efficiency, restaurant design, guest experience, marketing and menu innovation.
French-founded and French-owned since 1983, la Madeleine delivers an accessible and welcoming French bakery and cafe experience. La Madeleine operates nearly 100 corporate and franchise locations in multiple U.S. states and one international cafe in Bengaluru, India. For more information, visit www.lamadeleine.com.
The world leader in bakery, pastry and catering, Groupe Le Duff is present in more than 100 countries and on five continents. Since it was established in 1976, Groupe Le Duff has achieved success through its restaurant chains (Brioche Dorée, Del Arte, Le Fournil de Pierre, la Madeleine [United States] and Kamps [Germany]), as well as its brands Bridor and Cité Gourmande (10 production sites), which manufacture premium quality products for more than 45,000 4- and 5-star hotel restaurants.
SOURCE: la Madeleine