Welcome to CXpresso, the sister brand of Croissant Express and the new addition to one of Australia’s favourite bakery café chains.

It’s lunchtime in Perth, a 36-degree-Celsius summer day, and customers are thronging in to purchase baguettes jammed with fresh salads and ice-cold smoothies and take a seat to enjoy Reubenstyle gourmet sandwiches.

Established in 1987, Croissant Express will be celebrating its 30 birthday in Western Australia next year — a heritage “very well recognised in Perth” according to CEO Neil Soares. 

An imminent need to modernise the brand from a takeaway sandwich shop and provide “better ambience for customers and a wider range” has seen the humble croissant brand grow to now serving award winning coffee.

Baristas

“The company that roasts our beans, “The Big Brew”, won in a barista competition held in Newcastle,” Soares explained. “A good bean is central for café culture; it helps CXpresso leverage the consumer experience. Instantly people aligned themselves with the brand, especially because we hired good baristas.” Good baristas combined with beans have now seen continuous growth in Strathpine, Logan Hyperdome, and Queen St Mall (QLD).

A new brand

The new brand, a brainchild of Soares and internal stakeholders, involved new stores being built in QLD. “It was an untapped, virgin market and helped us to test things in isolation,” said Soares. 

A unique grab-and-go offer, bistro menu, and seating has created a contemporary feel and smooth execution of their menu. Soares said, “The benefit of a good trading history, good recognition in the market, has given people a modernised take of their favourites. Consumers are much better travelled now. They want artisan breads, are more conscious of spice and global flavours, and really want to eat well.”

Franchisees

New CXpresso franchisees undergo four weeks of training to learn the background of the brand and operations. “In QLD and WA, we have support teams on the ground — dedicated personnel” who take partners through all the training processes from running the store, marketing, training staff, and equipment skills.

Soares added, “The feedback is that we almost over service!” A dedicated trainer is allocated afterwards for another two weeks at no cost to the franchisee. This ensures that partners are “confident and completely capable”.  

CXpresso’s marketing agency also provides end-to-end marketing, including local store marketing opportunities, artwork, brand materials, and social media. This is a significant element of the rebrand. “It’s a unique part of our business, more about being nimble.”