Six months before that, he and Dianne, who had been working part-time at a Home Depot Doug managed, while she finished up her architecture degree, had come to the island on vacation. White's parents are Antiguan. Doug fell in love again - this time with the island, and convinced Dianne to sell their home and car, and put their possessions in storage. "He was the driving force behind moving here," Dianne says. "Doug said, 'I like it, we're going back,' and I came along for the ride." A month later, they were living in Antigua.

By August though, Doug was feeling dissatisfied with his new job.

His suggestions weren't being welcomed, and with two other jobs on offer, he decided to resign. He'd planned to wait until some of the French investors from Guadeloupe were on island, but instead, the executives from Hayot offered to fire the owner and give Doug the top job, with incentives, including shares in the business. His next project was to undertake a major overhaul.  Doug says the former managing director was targeting the wrong clients.  "She went after a market that I think exists here, but it's very small," he told escapeartist. "She was going after ex-pats, tourists. yachties. The first thing we did when we took it over, was to turn it into a local place, where everything is locally driven." The changes included buying more produce on-island, whereas the previous manager had imported a lot from France.

" Added to that, he says the customers lost to competitors are quickly replaced by others who are now glad to see a shorter line, and can run in and grab a bite.

"I think they have a good product," Douglas says of the new franchise. "I used to eat Subway in Toronto. But pricing has a lot to do with it. When you look at what people make here per hour, $25 is a lot to spend every day for your lunch."

Antigua also has its traditional types of breads, which are heavier, and often laden with tinned butter, pork sausage and cheese.

"That was one of my first experiences when I first came here," Doug says. "Dianne took me to Brownie's (bakery)."

"Yes," Dianne recalls. "I got you a sandwich with sausage and cheese."

"It was different," Doug adds, "but it was nice, very heavy. But don't get me wrong, you can't eat our sandwiches every day either."  Quite a few customers might beg to differ. Franciane's staff know the regulars who eat either the same sandwich every day, or mix and match the fillings, but nevertheless, come in at around the same time every day. 

There was formerly a Swiss bakery in a popular tourist section of the island, along with another French bakery in the capital.  "I think the majority of Antiguans are already aware of what French bread is," Dianne says. "They seem to like it, and what we try to do is to provide them with the right fillings that they want. 

Like saltfish and red herring. We will also be carrying the local cheese, because not everyone likes cheddar and Swiss.They seem to be very attached to the tinned cheese. So we're still trying to add to the menu."

Slowing down from the pace of life in Canada has been a welcome change for the couple.

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