Michel's Patisserie

Michel's Patisserie was founded by Noel Carroll and Noel Roberts in 1988. Their business model involves a central bakery that bakes products and distributes the products to outlets on a daily basis.

The retail outlets act as points of sale, from where customers may purchase the products on display. After two years of research into all facets of the concept, distribution, store design and layout, marketing and training, the model was tested under full market conditions in stores located in Castlecrag and Newport before being launched as a franchise in 1990. The franchise reportedly won the 2007 Churner of the year award. In February 2006, Michel's Patisserie conducted a management buyout and merged with its master franchisee in Queensland and Victoria to create a single national franchise business.

The original Michel's Patisserie was started in Sydney by French chef Michel Cattoen and his wife Elisabeth in 1980.

As of 2013, Michel's Patisserie was active in Western Australia, with a store at Karrinyup Shopping Centre in Perth.

In 2015 and 2016, the company switched to supplying frozen cakes instead of fresh cakes to franchisees leading to a decline in product quality.

Controversy

In December 2022, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission won a civil court case against RFG resulting in Michel's Patisserie and Gloria Jean's franchises receiving repayments and debt erasures totalling $10 million as part of a settlement relating to allegedly illegitimate marketing expenses and allegedly being sold loss-making shops.