Paris Croissant turns 30 today

Paris Croissant, Korea’s leading bakery franchise under the SPC Group, celebrates its 30th anniversary today. From left, Paris Baguette’s first branch in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, its headquarters in southern Seoul and its Paris branch established in 2014. [SPC GROUP]

Paris Croissant, Korea’s leading bakery chain, celebrates its 30th anniversary today and SPC Group pledged to make its slightly younger Paris Baguette brand more global in the next 14 years.

“We will advance into a total of 20 countries by 2030 and operate more than 2,000 branches in China and the United States alone,” the Paris Baguette spokesman said.

Paris Croissant was founded in 1986 by current SPC Group Chairman Hur Young-in. It was one of the nation’s first bakeries offering European-style breads.

To make a European style bakery more acceptable to the public, Paris Croissant launched Paris Baguette in 1988, which offered cheaper prices. Within 10 years, Paris Baguette became the No. 1 bakery franchise in Korea. It posted 1.7 trillion won ($1.49 billion) in revenue last year.

Paris Baguette’s offerings helped change the national attitude toward bread, the company claims.

The overseas expansion of Paris Baguette started in 2004 in China, and quickly expanded to Western markets such as France and the U.S. Currently, the brand operates some 240 establishments in five overseas markets, including Paris and New York.

Paris Baguette continues to pave ways both in domestic and overseas markets.

In 2000, Paris Baguette started introducing a cafe version of their bakery, where it sells fresh-brewed coffee, fruit juices and handmade sandwiches and salads, expanding the concept of bakeries to a mingling venue.

Paris Baguette now operates 3,400 branches in Korea and churns out 4 million units of breads daily. To celebrating the anniversary, Paris Baguette will release a new product every day for 30 days and offer a 30 percent discount to 30,000 people a day.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]