It began with a passionate European pastry chef. His vision: to share with Australians his love of exquisite cakes and pastries from the northern hemisphere. Michel Cattoen started small, baking delicacies for a select group of cafes and restaurants in 1982. But as his reputation flourished the business grew, and naturally his irresistible range of gateaux, tortes, fruit flans, quiches, pies, cookies, cakes, croissants and Danish pastries needed a bigger stage.
Michel’s customers’ hunger for more of this wonderful stuff meant national expansion was inevitable. Careful planning for a national group of stores included long and intensive work on quality products, distribution systems and staff training programs, so that every aspect of the Michel’s experience could be delivered consistently, whether the customer was enjoying a banana cake in Bundaberg or a custard tart in Campbelltown.
