A Canadian-based dessert chain serving up Japanese-style pancakes plans to be the next powerhouse brand to watch. Benson Lau founded Fuwa Fuwa—Japanese for “Fluffy Fluffy”—with a mission to deliver a dose of endorphins for customers through a unique, hybrid dessert café concept. In other words, delivering happiness in the form of souffle-style pancakes.
Lau grew up in Asia, taking notes on pastries from around the region. He was fascinated by the way people reacted to the souffle pancake—a light, airy twist to the traditional breakfast item—and in 2018, he set off to bring this treat across the globe.
The Fluffy Fluffy concept represents a marriage between Eastern and Western influences, with Japanese-style souffle pancakes which are slowly cooked to perfection at a low temperature and finished with a variety of fruits, toppings, and housemade sauces. All eggs and milk are locally sourced, free of artificial additives.
While the pancakes are certainly a staple on the brand’s menu, other offerings include roll cakes, macarons, lattes, and bubbly sodas. The ever-evolving menu also features savory croffle (croissant-waffle) sandwiches and burnt-top cheesecakes in flavors such as Earl Grey, matcha, and raspberry.
The first Fluffy Fluffy location opened in Toronto, Canada, and is known to be one of the first of its kind in North America. To this day, Lau says it’s still the leading and largest souffle-pancake franchise internationally. He credits it to being first-to-market, celebrating cross-cultural diversity by bringing a fun twist on the breakfast standard to the table.
Founder(s): Benson Lau
HQ: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Cuisine type: Japanese Dessert Café
Units: Three in the U.S., 30 internationally
“Pancakes are a colloquial language,” Lau says. “But when you introduce a modern twist with a lighter, softer, and healthier pancake, it becomes a substitute for the traditional ones … once [customers] have the souffle once, they can never go back.”
In the five years since its inception, the brand has grown to 30 locations across the U.K., Canada, China, France, and the U.S. Its franchising program debuted in 2020, and it’s been growing ever since.
However, being one-of-a-kind does have its drawbacks: Lau says it’s been challenging to find suitable brick-and-mortar locations and persuade landlords with a product they’ve never heard of before. Though, it’s been a beneficial learning curve for the brand as it continues to expand its reach across different countries and cultures.
“The process is about communicating our brand story, the products we’re trying to sell, and what makes us different,” Lau says. “There’s a lot of hard work we’ve been doing to finalize and negotiate for locations that work for the brand.”
Locations range from approximately 800 to 1,500 square feet, ideally in high-traffic locations with both commercial and industrial consumers and ample parking. This is a chain that wants its customers to come inside and enjoy their time inside the café, connecting with other sweet-toothed aficionados.
But it’s not just landlords who need education on the brand—it’s the customers, too. Lau says social media has been the company’s biggest asset in spreading the word, with a tech-savvy marketing team born post-1990, which he astutely points out.
“We utilize a lot of social media to promote Fluffy Fluffy,” Lau adds. “Most of our team was born into the internet world … and we have a friendly product [to promote].”
As the brand zeroes in on the U.S., Lau is looking to expand through franchising in cities like Dallas; Jacksonville, Florida; and Charlotte, North Carolina. With three locations currently open stateside and 20 in development, Fluffy Fluffy is eventually expected to go from coast to coast by inking deals with local partners.
In Lau’s eyes, the ideal franchisee would want to “share the happiness, love cultural diversity, stay open minded to trying new things, and be a pioneer to celebrate and share a great product with the local community.”
He adds that it does take a certain amount of courage to be an ambassador for an innovative concept, but it’s all part of the excitement and charm of Fluffy Fluffy.
At the same time, it’s not a complicated concept—Lau’s team has been focused on designing a franchise program with a team with the capabilities of providing tailor-made support for each location. With years of pastry experience, the corporate team acts as a pillar of aid for even the greenest franchisee, even developing flavors unique to every café.
“We consider ourselves a dessert university, with a program designed to train even first-time restaurant owners,” Lau says. “We have dancers and heart surgeons joining the program because they want to make desserts with their family … and we become a mentor for them.”
Also aiding in the support of the brand is a research and development center in Canada, Asia, and in the U.K. Lau explains these centers are comprehensive to the growth of the franchise, constantly looking for ways to diversify the Fluffy Fluffy menu to adapt to global tastes. An additional central kitchen is currently in development for the U.S.
“While you’re sleeping in the U.S. or in Canada, our research and development centers on the other side of the world is still going on,” Lau adds. “The lights are still on, running and innovating. It’s a support system for the whole brand.”
Lau’s goal is to carry on carving a niche out for Fluffy Fluffy in the international market while shifting its focus to the North American pocket, continuing to be a leader and pioneer in the café chain category. Within the next two years, he is targeting at least 200 locations in North America. “We know this [brand] makes people happy, and I want to be the one who promotes it and brings it to the rest of the world,” Lau says. “For years, we’ve been establishing ourselves, celebrating diversity. This is the culture we want to share with our audience, and we’re excited to be the ones sharing happiness as we grow.”
