S.Korea's Paris Baguette opens first outlet in Malaysia

To SPC Group, which hopes to tide over difficulties in the domestic market facing sagging growth potential and troubles caused by a series of safety accidents at its affiliates last year, the $2-trillion halal market where interest in K-foods is rising is something not to be missed.

SPC Group’s bakery franchise Paris Baguette has opened its first Paris Baguette location in Pavillion Kuala Lumpur in the Malaysian capital.

The opening is the first concrete result since the South Korean bakery company established Berjaya Paris Baguette, a joint venture with its local partner Berjaya Food Berhad, in June of last year for its Malaysian business.

The new store accommodates 94 seats on the third floor of Pavillion Kuala Lumpur, a premium multiplex in Bukit Bintang, the largest commercial district in the city.

Paris Baguette sells freshly baked pastries, brunch and pasta menu items. In addition, pork is not used in products, in consideration of the cultural characteristics of Malaysia, which has a high proportion of Muslims.

In June of last year, SPC announced a 40-billion-won ($32.4 million) project to build a factory that will manufacture halal-certified food items in Malaysia's second-largest city of Johor Bahru, which will be completed in the second half of this year.

The Johor Bahru plant will produce some 100 items including bread, cakes and sauces, serving not only existing halal markets in Southeast Asia but also future markets in the Middle East. 

In October last year, SPC released an ambitious blueprint to open more than 600 outlets in Southeast Asia alone by 2030 and is also set to enter the Middle East.

Write to Jiyoon Yang at yang@hankyung.com