December 04, 2024

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Hur Jin-soo, president of Paris Croissant, speaks at the 2024 Paris Baguette Franchise Convention held this week at Resorts World Las Vegas. (SPC Group)

South Korea's top bakery chain Paris Baguette held its inaugural franchise convention for US franchisees in Las Vegas on Aug. 5-7.

Under the theme "Layers of Success," the three-day event brought together 250 executives, current franchisees and prospective partners to foster communication and networking within Paris Baguette's diverse franchise community. Paris Baguette America's executives, led by CEO Darren Tipton, shared the company's strategic vision, marketing plans and staff development initiatives with franchisees.

Intensive training sessions helped franchisees get on board with corporate strategies and operational best practices. Store owners shared their success stories and advice, sparking lively discussions on Paris Baguette's long-term expansion plans.

The bakery chain's US footprint has surged to roughly 180 locations, with franchisees operating over 90 percent of the outlets. In the first half of 2024 alone, the company cut the ribbon on 22 new stores and struck 83 new franchise deals, highlighting its growing market traction. Going forward, it plans to fuel its expansion strategy by building a robust global franchise ecosystem capable of supporting rapid, sustainable growth.

Hur Jin-soo, president of Paris Croissant, the parent company of Paris Baguette, recognized the franchisees' role in the brand's overseas success during the event. "Our success in the US market boils down to the synergy between our global franchise system and our partners' entrepreneurial spirit," Hur said. "We will keep leveraging these success factors to fuel expansion across our global operations."

"This convention reaffirms our bullish outlook on the global market, particularly in the US," Hur added. "It offered a prime platform to share our vision, success stories and ideas. We're committed to fostering close communication and collaboration with all our global partners."

With approximately 4,000 stores across 12 countries, Paris Baguette has been a key player in international markets since launching overseas in 2004. The company reached its 100th US store milestone in 2022 and has set an ambitious target of 1,000 locations by 2030.

By Moon Ki-hoon (moonkihoon@heraldcorp.com)