Meet the Growing Bagel Brands Bringing Fresh Flavors and Business Opportunities to New Markets
There are few breakfast items as versatile and beloved as bagels. Whether toasted with cream cheese, piled high with eggs and bacon, turned into a hearty lunch sandwich or enjoyed as an afternoon snack, bagels can satisfy just about any craving. They come in a variety of flavors, from classic plain and sesame to cinnamon raisin and savory everything, and can be dressed up with everything from smoked salmon to avocado.
Once considered a breakfast staple primarily, bagels have become an anytime favorite. In fact, Einstein Bros. Bagels’ (above) 2026 State of the Bagel report states that 55% of respondents eat bagels any time of the day.
The popular brand produces more than 200 million bagels annually, contributing to the $3.3 billion bagel market in the U.S. Other bagel franchises, such as PopUp Bagels and Jeff’s Bagel Run, have sprung up to meet demand, giving aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to get a piece of this lucrative industry and bring communities together with a feel-good product.
Below, we get the inside scoop on bagel franchises offering fun business opportunities with plenty of possibilities.
101 Bagel Cafe
About: Founded in 2018, 101 Bagel Cafe is an Atlanta-area bagel-and-coffee-shop concept specializing in New York-style bagels. The brand boils and bakes its bagels fresh daily using traditional methods.
What Makes the Brand Unique: Beyond bagels and pastries, 101 Bagel Cafe offers soups, sandwiches, wraps and salads. According to its website, these menu items contain no artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. Its coffee program features beans sourced worldwide and signature I-Cubez, iced coffee served with ice cubes made from real coffee to keep drinks from becoming watered down.
Bagel Bazaar
About: Since its founding in 1987, the Bagel Bazaar franchise has established itself as a staple in central New Jersey. Its diverse menu includes New York-style bagels, wraps, burgers, toast, coffee, breakfast sandwiches, salad bowls and more.
What Makes the Brand Unique: According to its website, the bagel franchise is minority-owned and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion, with women making up nearly 50% of the company. Bagel Bazaar also supports its community by offering discounts to first responders, youth organizations, local schools and churches.
Bagel Boss
About: Established in 1975, Bagel Boss has grown from a neighborhood bakery to a national franchise brand known for its famous artisan bagels, grab-and-go meals, hot sandwiches and fresh salads.
What Makes the Brand Unique: This is a brand for bagel lovers by bagel lovers. Boss Bagel is built on the expertise of fifth- and sixth-generation bagel bakers whose roots in New York bagel making date back to 1935.
Einstein Bros. Bagels
About: Einstein Bros. Bagels was established in Lakewood, Colo., in 1995. The brand is known for its freshly-baked bagels, made-to-order hot sandwiches, shmears, specialty coffees and teas and baked goods.
What Makes the Brand Unique: The bagel franchise offers franchise owners a variety of flexible formats, including smaller footprints for inline, end-cap and free-standing restaurants, optional drive-thru and seating formats.
H&H Bagels
About: H&H Bagels opened its doors in 1972. The bagel franchise prides itself on only using quality ingredients, including unbromated and unbleached flour. According to its website, H&H Bagels contain no preservatives and are made with non-GMO ingredients.
What Makes the Brand Unique: H&H Bagels uses its original recipe and traditional water method to produce classic New York bagels. The brand has become a pop-culture icon, appearing in “Seinfeld,” “Sex and the City,” “The Office” and more.
Jeff’s Bagel Run
About: Jeff and Danielle Perera began making bagels from scratch in 2019 after Jeff lost his job. Their passion project quickly grew into a thriving business, with the husband-and-wife team opening their first Jeff’s Bagel Run in Ocoee, Fla., in 2021. The brand began expanding through franchising in 2024 and has a focused menu of scratch-made, freshly baked bagels, handcrafted spreads and a full beverage program.
What Makes the Brand Unique: Jeff’s Bagel Run combines a commitment to freshness with a streamlined operating model designed for efficiency and scalability. With a single daily shift from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., franchise owners benefit from simplified staffing, more predictable labor costs and an attractive work-life balance. The brand’s proprietary Au-dough-mation technology integrates ordering channels into one seamless system, helping operators simplify daily operations while delivering a consistent guest experience.
Joe’s Bagel & Grill
About: Russell Grabow spent much of his working life in contracting and construction before opening the first Joe’s Bagel & Grill in West Long Branch, N.J., in 2016. The bagel franchise specializes in hand-rolled, boiled bagels with classic New Jersey breakfast sandwiches. Other menu items include omelets, wraps, paninis, salads, coffee and catering.
What Makes the Brand Unique: Joe’s Bagel & Grill stays true to its Jersey Shore roots with a fun, beachy logo and a menu of fan-favorite options, such as the pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwich.
PopUp Bagels
About: PopUp Bagels started in Connecticut in 2021 when hobby baker Adam Goldberg began selling homemade bagels at pop-up shops. Word spread quickly, and what began as a small passion project grew into a wildly popular bagel brand, expanding from temporary pop-ups to permanent storefronts across the New York City metro area and beyond.
What Makes the Brand Unique: PopUp Bagels keeps customers coming back with limited-time flavors, introducing a new cream cheese schmear and butter flavor each week. The bagel franchise also collaborates with well-known brands to create unexpected offerings, including schmears inspired by Oreo cookies and Guinness beer.
