Canadian Maple Delights - Gourmet Bistro & Shoppe Franchising Continuing the marketing focus it adopted in the mid-1970s, Citadelle embarked on a new venture with the launch of a unique retail concept, the Canadian Maple Delights Gourmet Bistro & Shoppe. Citadelle opened the first shop in the heart of Vancouver on May 18, 1999, to test-run the idea of a franchise where the consumer can taste maple syrup delicacies and buy premium maple-based products. In the medium term, the Coop intends to open other bistros in Western Canada and the Western United States. Once the shop concept has been fine-tuned, the bistros will be sold as franchises. Citadelle's future plans include other franchises in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America in the next ten to fifteen years.