News Summary
Maman cafés, co-founded by Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte, has quickly become a renowned lifestyle brand across the U.S. With a focus on creating a warm, home-like atmosphere, Maman has reported impressive sales and plans for further expansion. The café chain emphasizes seasonal ingredients and customer engagement while also branching out into lifestyle products. With new locations planned in Florida, Washington D.C., and Connecticut, Maman aims to solidify its presence as a community-centric brand.
New York City – Maman cafés, co-founded by Elisa Marshall and her husband Benjamin Sormonte in 2014, has established itself as a growing nationwide lifestyle brand. With ROOTED values embedded in familiar comforts and a nostalgic atmosphere, the café chain has captured the attention of coffee lovers across the United States, reporting $47.2 million in sales over 34 locations in the previous year and aiming for $65 million in total revenue for the upcoming year.
Marshall envisioned creating a space that felt like a “home away from home,” moving away from the typical industrial chic aesthetics often found in urban coffee shops. The name “Maman,” which translates to “mother” in French, reflects their aspiration to evoke comfort and familiarity, drawing inspiration from their mothers’ home-cooked meals.
The unique identity of Maman is showcased through its “lived-in” look, characterized by mismatched china and thoughtful decor. Marshall personally seeks out antique pieces at fairs, ensuring that each item in the café evokes a sense of warmth and individuality. This distinct atmosphere extends beyond the physical location to their online presence, with a consistent branding aesthetic maintained across various platforms, including email and social media.
Approximately 60% of Maman’s menu comprises core classic dishes, with the remaining 40% featuring seasonal and creative offerings. This strategy underscores Marshall’s commitment to using fresh, seasonal ingredients that resonate with local tastes, engaging customers with new choices and keeping the menu dynamic. The café’s honeycomb tahini latte gained popularity through organic word-of-mouth marketing, exemplifying how customer buzz can significantly influence business growth.
Maman emphasizes customer feedback and actively utilizes insights gathered from social media and review sites like Yelp to refine the customer experience and acknowledge employee contributions. The initial funding for the café came from personal savings, family contributions, and a $1.5 million investment from Sormonte’s brother, enabling the owners to facilitate substantial expansion.
With a current footprint of 30 cafés across North America, Maman has ambitious plans to establish additional locations in Florida, Washington D.C., and Connecticut. The couple retains a 50% ownership stake in the company, which recently secured an investment agreement with the private equity firm TriSpan to fuel further growth.
Beyond operating cafés, Maman has broadened its horizons by venturing into lifestyle branding, offering cookbooks, kitchen goods, and clothing. Notably, despite the exploration of these additional product lines, 75% of revenue still derives from restaurant operations. The brand has garnered recognition, including being featured on Oprah Winfrey’s “Favorite Things” list for their Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies, significantly enhancing its visibility and popularity.
Marshall and Sormonte aim to elevate Maman from a simple restaurant to a comprehensive lifestyle experience, continuously exploring new product lines and community engagement strategies. As Maman cafés expand their reach and solidify their brand presence, they remain focused on creating spaces that foster community connections imbued with the warmth reminiscent of home.
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Additional Resources
- CNBC: Maman Owners – How We Built a Cafe Chain That Brings in Millions a Year
- Wikipedia: Maman (café)
- Forbes: Maman Started as a Small Soho Café
- Google Search: Maman Cafe
- Observer: At Home with Maman’s Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Maman
- Tribeca Citizen: Maman – The Cookbook
- Google News: Maman Cafe
Author: STAFF HERE NEW YORK WRITER
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