La Creme Competitors

Caffè Nero was founded in 1997 by Gerry Ford who had a vision to bring a continental style coffee house experience to Europe and beyond. Our philosophy is really very simple: Premium Italian coffee. A warm and welcoming atmosphere. Good food and great personal service. Caffè Nero has continued to increase its store numbers, sales and profitability year on year and become a familiar neighbourhood meeting place in towns and cities across Europe and US. As store numbers have increased, Caffè Nero has built a strong brand identity built on premium espresso-based gourmet coffee, authentic Italian food products and a relaxing atmosphere in every store.

The history of Parisian tea rooms is intimately tied to the history of the Ladurée family. It all began in 1862, when Louis Ernest Ladurée, a miller from the southwest of France, founded a bakery in Paris at 16 rue Royale. The story of the Ladurée macaron began in the mid-20th century with Pierre Desfontaines, second cousin of Louis Ernest Ladurée, who had the delicious idea of creating a double macaron, two simple macaron shells joined in the middle by a luscious filling. And the rest, as they say, is history. Today, Ladurée is not only the "Fabricant de Douceurs depuis 1862" (Maker of Sweets since 1862), but also a global company bringing the French Art de Vivre to the world.

In 2019 PAUL is celebrating its 130 year anniversary, arriving at this impressive milestone via five generations dedicated to creating great-tasting bread. It’s a remarkable story of one family whose belief in traditional, labour intensive baking methods and insistence on top quality ingredients have created the largest bakery in France today, and taken the PAUL name to 28 other countries. PAUL has always been a community bakery, bringing the authentic taste of real French baking to its local customers. Whether they meet at cafes to chat with friends over a coffee and a pastry, or take food home to enjoy with friends, PAUL is dedicated to sharing its passion for food with customers all over the world. The recipes for bread, viennoiserie and patisserie have been handed down through the family for over one hundred years. The bakers are true artisans, with years of training. PAUL UK opened in London in 2000 with its flagship shop and restaurant in Covent Garden. There are now a total of 37 shops in the UK, primarily Central London locations. Expansion plans are undergoing. This expansion will provide great opportunities for more people to join the business and to develop a career as the company grows. Today PAUL has more than 500 stores operating in 29 countries, including France, Holland, Japan, Kuwait and the USA. It is still owned by the founding Holder family.