Pierre had broad retail experience, working at Auchan, then Guilbert before deciding to take up the challenge of starting his own business with Thomas Green's.

"I looked at a number of opportunities and soon narrowed down to Thomas Green's. If you are really interested in franchising, you always have an eye to the future", Pierre says. "So my key search criteria were a strong end consumer need and an opportunity to grow beyond one franchise. Thomas Green's fills a fantastic niche but there's still massive room for growth. If you join a mature franchise that simply isn't available."

But gelling with the team was more important. "I was really impressed by the energy and enthusiasm of the Thomas Green's team. I liked them and, most importantly, I knew they wanted to help me succeed."

So, given all your retail experience, weren't you tempted to go it alone?

"I would say that if you have any background in retail, you know the importance of tested processes and the value of a good brand. Yes, I could have done this myself but it would have been a lot harder."

I know food and I know the customer facing aspects. But in my experience, you also need to have the purchasing side covered. The Thomas Green's team is vital in providing a solid and reliable supply chain from the UK. I know that as part of a franchising group I can be taken extremely seriously by my UK suppliers. The special offers I receive would justify working with Thomas Green's. But it's more than that, it's good to have someone always coming up with new product suggestions and negotiating the UK side of the contracts. They give me real scope for low risk experimentation in categories like books and DVD's that I wouldn't have touched without someone taking charge of the suppliers."

And what about the future?

"As the first franchise in France, and knowing the full potential of the market, I think there are tremendous opportunites here. It's not just about expats either. Do you remember the emotion when Marks & Spencer shut down? The French may not rate British cuisine, but they really like the food. But if I was thinking of moving to France, I'd ask; do you want a good living down in the expat belts or do you really want to go for the big opportunity? Both are attractive options but in the meantime I'm still in the first category."

Thomas Green's in Lille was profitable from Week One.

Pierre is available to help anyone interested in starting up in France.