Cafe franchise Michel’s Patisserie was slammed in an A Current Affair report last night for their refurbishment program and new product rollout, which has allegedly left several franchisees disgruntled.

According to the report, a franchisee from Melbourne’s north has failed to comply with contractual obligations – renovation changes and new product lines – and has been evicted from her establishment.

Michel’s Patisserie released a statement that was published on its Facebook page following the A Current Affair report, outlining that the current affairs program didn’t give the company ample time to a right of reply.

The statement is as follows:

“The team at Michel’s Patisserie were extremely disappointed to see tonight’s story on A Current Affair. This story was produced without our knowledge and we were only contacted very late this afternoon to provide a statement. We opted to instead share our point of view with you, our loyal customers.

Michel’s Patisserie is made up of dedicated small business owners who put a lot of hard work into operating their businesses each and every day. Our refurbishment program and new product rollout, both discussed on tonight’s episode of ACA, are designed to help our franchisees build sales, modernise the brand and maintain relevance in the competitive caf_ environment.

We are supporting all of our franchisees through this process by offering financial assistance, negotiating the best possible rates and managing the entire refurbishment process. Our new store design looks amazing, and franchisees who have recently refurbished their stores are achieving positive results.

We will continue to listen to and work with our franchisees on our brand initiatives, and we hope you continue to support your local Michel’s Patisserie.”