Cookie Couture grows to 20 locations – 17 franchised

Cookie Couture has expanded its German network to 20 locations, 17 of which are run by franchise partners. In just over three years, the business has grown from its first shop on Cologne’s Ehrenstraße into a predominantly franchise-operated network. Attention is now turning to further openings and potential railway station locations.

From a Cologne launch to a franchise-led network

Niklas Schenk and Kilian Wisskirchen opened their first cookie shop in Cologne in spring 2023. Both founders hold degrees in business administration. According to a report published by L’Express Franchise on 15 October 2026, Cookie Couture now has 20 locations across Germany, including three shops in Munich and two in Hamburg.

The split between company-run and franchise-operated shops highlights the role franchising plays in the expansion. The founders run the two Cologne shops and the Düsseldorf branch themselves. The remaining 17 locations are operated by franchise partners, accounting for 85 per cent of the network.

For those assessing Germany’s franchise market, the structure of this growth is particularly noteworthy. Cookie Couture is not simply adding a handful of franchised outlets to a larger company-owned estate. Rather, franchise partners account for the vast majority of its expansion to date. Its three company-run shops now sit alongside a considerably larger franchise network.

The founders identify the past 18 months as the main period of growth. Expansion since 2023 has therefore not been evenly paced: the initial single-shop launch was followed by a more rapid rollout, particularly in the most recent period.

Around 2,500 enquiries do not mean 2,500 franchise agreements

According to the founders, Cookie Couture received around 2,500 franchise enquiries within three years. This figure demonstrates interest in the concept, but it must be clearly distinguished from the number of outlets that have actually opened. The figure refers to enquiries, not 2,500 signed agreements or confirmed locations.

Nor do the 17 franchise-operated shops necessarily represent 17 separate franchisees. The location count describes how the shops are split by operating model. This distinction matters when assessing the network, as prospective partners, contracted franchisees and open outlets are different measures.

Prospective franchisees should therefore view the high number of enquiries as an indication of interest in the brand, not as evidence that an individual shop is profitable. It also reveals neither how many applicants were suitable for a partnership nor how long it takes to move from an initial enquiry to opening a shop.

The key development remains the expansion already achieved: one initial shop has become 20 locations, 17 of them franchised. This is a more concrete measure of the network’s growth than interest from potential partners at an earlier stage.

Further openings and new location formats

Around ten new openings are planned for 2026 as a whole. This is the announced total for the year, not ten additional shops on top of the network reported in October. Further shops are already being planned, including locations at railway stations.

Cookie Couture already has a presence in several shopping centres. Named locations include CentrO in Oberhausen, Ruhr Park in Bochum and Hamburg’s Überseequartier. The network therefore extends beyond the type of setting in which the brand began with its first shop on Cologne’s Ehrenstraße.

The proposed railway station locations, by contrast, represent a planned next stage. The announcement does not establish a specific opening date at any particular station. When assessing the expansion, it is therefore important to distinguish between existing shopping centre outlets and shops that are still at the planning stage.

For potential partners, this raises a practical due diligence point: a concept should not be judged solely by its total number of locations. It also matters how much experience the business already has with the proposed location format. An existing shopping centre shop and a planned railway station opening represent different starting points.

Put network reach in context and assess each location individually

Cookie Couture reports more than 100,000 customers per month across its network. This figure adds to the picture of a business whose reach has grown substantially since launch. However, it applies to the entire network and is not a reported performance figure for any individual shop.

For an investment decision, the network-wide total is therefore no substitute for location-specific due diligence. Anyone considering joining should seek a clear explanation of the financial assumptions for the proposed shop, the division of responsibilities between franchisee and head office, and the support available during the launch. The proposed location format should also form part of this assessment.

Practical takeaway: With 17 franchise-operated shops, Cookie Couture has built a predominantly franchised network. Prospective partners should treat the reported interest and customer reach as a starting point, but base their decision on substantiated information about the specific location and the franchise partnership.