From Pastry Chef to CEO: Serge Lamoral's Bakery Empire

Dr. Niklas Richter · 2026-04-16

Serge Lamoral didn't just build a bakery. He built a business that now includes a full-scale production facility, sixteen franchise locations, and dozens of employees. But this story isn't just about growth. It's about grit. It's about loss. And it's about what happens when life throws everything it has at you while you're still trying to run a company. ### From Apprentice to Entrepreneur Serge started as a pastry chef. He was a craftsman who loved the art of baking. But he knew that if he wanted to turn his passion into something bigger, he'd need to think differently. So he did something smart first: he built financial stability through real estate. Before he went all in on entrepreneurship, he made sure he had a safety net. That's a lesson a lot of business owners skip, and it often comes back to bite them. Once the foundation was solid, he launched BBCOPA Bakery Group and Atelier Co-Pains. What began as a single shop grew into a network of sixteen franchise locations. But scaling a business isn't just about opening more doors. It's about building a system that works without you. ### Working In vs. Working On Your Business Serge talks openly about the difference between working *in* your business and working *on* it. When you're a solo founder, it's easy to get stuck in the daily grind. You're baking, managing staff, dealing with customers, and putting out fires. But that's not building a company. That's running a job. The real shift happens when you start building an organization. That means creating processes, training people, and stepping back so others can step up. Serge learned that bringing in partners wasn't a sign of weakness. It was a strategic move that added real value. > "Success isn't applause. It's responsibility." ### When Life Hits Hard This conversation goes deeper than business strategy. Serge lost his mother at a young age. Later, a devastating fire destroyed his production facility. And then came cancer. He went through chemotherapy while still running the company. He didn't hit pause. Because life doesn't have a pause button. What does "all in" mean when you're facing chemo and board meetings in the same week? It means showing up. It means delegating when you can't do it all. And it means accepting that resilience isn't about being a hero. It's about keeping moving, one step at a time. ### The Discipline of Franchising Franchising isn't just about selling a brand. It's about creating a formula that can be replicated with consistency. Serge learned that the hard way. He had to develop systems for everything: recipes, training, supply chain, and customer experience. Key lessons from Serge's franchise playbook: - Standardize everything before you scale - Choose franchisees who share your values, not just your bank account - Build a support system that helps each location succeed - Never stop improving the product ### What You Can Take Away Serge's story isn't a hero's tale. It's a human one. He didn't avoid hardship. He walked through it. He didn't chase applause. He took on responsibility. For any entrepreneur listening, here's the real takeaway: build your foundation first, then grow. Bring in partners when it makes sense. And when life knocks you down, don't stop moving. You can find Serge's book at [sergelamoral.com](https://www.sergelamoral.com) (nofollow). More episodes at [belgische-ondernemers.be](https://www.belgische-ondernemers.be) (nofollow).