In the Express lane

In a move to make more dough, the Croissant Express chain has expanded into a bank.

The growing franchise has swung open the doors to a new outlet inside the West Perth BankWest complex. The company has leased 120 square metres in the complex, located on the corner of Hay and Colin streets, according to Croissant Express managing director Jonathan Huston.

“Having a bank on our doorstep is also a huge plus,” says Mr Huston, a former Australian Army major.

BankWest will maintain its Hay Street frontage as part of the 12-year deal. The move into West Perth is a strategic one for Croissant Express, which has largely cornered the CBD breakfast and lunch crowd with its current eight outlets.

The company, which capitalised on the growth of ready-to-go quick meals in the 1990s, has grown rapidly since formation in 1987.

The central location of this new outlet, in the heart of West Perth’s commercial hub, will complement the CBD focus of the business, Mr Huston says

A ninth store in the city is in the pipeline, with a location on Pier Street earmarked.

The West Perth move follows a productive few years for Mr Huston and partner Glenn Evans, who bought Croissant Express in December 2004 from Geoff Cross and Maurice O’Connor. The company has grown into an $8-million-a-year business through product innovation and franchise expansion.

Mr Huston says while East Perth and West Perth outlets will be the first priority, Croissant Express stores on the east coast is a targeted goal.