Abbatiello acquires Papa Sandwich with plans for 100 restaurants

Groupe Abbatiello has added Papa Sandwich to its portfolio and announced an ambitious goal for the young Quebec-based brand: to reach around 100 restaurants across the province within five years. Announced on 20 October 2026, the acquisition opens a new chapter for the gourmet sandwich chain, whose founders will remain involved as franchisees.

A young brand joins a multi-brand group

The first Papa Sandwich opened in April 2025 on Avenue Cartier in Quebec City. Around a year and a half later, the chain has become Groupe Abbatiello’s seventh brand. The purchase price has not been disclosed, according to reports from Noovo Info and Le Soleil.

This is the family-owned group’s second acquisition in less than six months, following its purchase of the Shaker restaurant and bar chain in May 2026. Led by its founder’s grandchildren since 2018, Abbatiello is continuing to expand its restaurant portfolio in Quebec.

Papa Sandwich joins Pizza Salvatoré, Topla!, Jack le Coq, Crèmerie Chez Mamie, L’Œufrier and Shaker Cuisine et Mixologie. The group says it now has more than 250 restaurants in Quebec across these seven brands. It also owns around 50 commercial properties and is targeting C$1 billion in revenue by 31 December 2029, Le Soleil reports. That target applies to the group as a whole, not to Papa Sandwich alone.

Six restaurants and two planned locations

According to Le Soleil, Papa Sandwich currently has six restaurants. Three are in Quebec City: on Avenue Cartier, at the Pyramide de Sainte-Foy and on Boulevard Lebourgneuf. The other three are in Lévis, Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures and Chicoutimi, in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.

Two additional locations are planned in Trois-Rivières, in the Mauricie region, and Joliette, in Lanaudière. These should be distinguished from the six restaurants already trading: they are announced openings and do not count towards the network’s current total.

The brand’s footprint therefore already extends beyond its home city. The planned Trois-Rivières and Joliette locations will take it into further regional markets. The new owner’s ambition is much broader, however: to grow this young network to around 100 restaurants across Quebec within five years.

The founders become franchisees of the group

Nathan Todd, Gabriel Lavoie, Anthony Gagné and Frédéric Petit will remain involved in running Papa Sandwich. They will operate their three Quebec City restaurants as Groupe Abbatiello franchisees, Le Soleil reports. Nathan Todd will also retain his role as brand ambassador.

For the franchise sector, the founders’ continued involvement is a tangible feature of the deal. The change in ownership of the brand does not mean they are leaving the restaurants: their participation will now continue through a franchise relationship with the acquiring group.

This also highlights two distinct aspects of the announcement. Abbatiello is acquiring a brand and integrating it into its portfolio, while the founders remain in charge of their Quebec City restaurants as franchisees. Their continued involvement is confirmed, but the ownership and operating model for future restaurants has not been specified.

Expansion ambitions need to be assessed alongside franchise terms

The expansion programme is aimed at prospective franchisees in both regional markets and major urban centres. However, the goal of around 100 restaurants is a five-year development target, not a set of openings that have already taken place or are guaranteed.

The financial and territorial terms available to future franchisees have not been disclosed. The required upfront investment, royalties and available territories therefore remain points to check directly before assessing an opportunity. The target number of restaurants alone does not establish the cost of joining the network or the terms for operating an outlet.

Key takeaway: Papa Sandwich now has a new owner, founders who remain involved and a target for expansion across Quebec. For a prospective franchisee, the practical next step is to obtain the financial and territorial terms of the opportunity, rather than relying solely on the announced size of the future network.