Paris Baguette to open nine new stores in North America

SPC's Paris Baguette branches in the United States [SPC]

Korean bakery chain Paris Baguette is set to open nine new stores in North America this month, expanding its total store count in the region to 150.

The expansion plan comes with the addition of two new Paris Baguette stores in Canada.

The Southpark on Whyte store in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is set to open on Sept. 14, followed by the launch of Newmarket East, the company's first directly-operated store in Canada, on Sept. 22.

In the United States, Paris Baguette is set to make its debut in North Carolina on Sept. 22 with the opening of its inaugural store within the state. The brand will sequentially roll out seven franchise stores in six states, including New York, California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, all scheduled to become operational by the end of this month.

The expansions will culminate in a total of 150 stores in the North American market, with an additional 60 stores planned for opening by the end of this year.

The aggressive expansion plan comes after Paris Baguette's U.S. subsidiary operated in the black for the first time in 18 years since its entry.

Paris Baguette established its U.S. subsidiary in September 2002 and opened its first store in Los Angeles in October 2005.

Fueled by its consistent expansion strategy, the U.S. subsidiary of Paris Baguette has witnessed substantial revenue growth, surging from 132.6 billion won ($99.7 million) in 2020 to 182.6 billion won in 2021, and reaching 352.8 billion won in 2022. While detailed half-yearly revenue figures remain undisclosed, achieving profitability in the U.S. market in the first half of this year is a noteworthy development, explained a spokesperson from SPC, the operator of Paris Baguette.

“Paris Baguette has been seeing success in the U.S. market, considered the heart of the franchise industry and the competitive arena of global brands,” SPC official said. “Now that our U.S. franchise operations are on solid ground, we are determined to take the lead in the North American bakery market and expand our successful U.S. model into other countries, strengthening our global business.”

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]