South Korea’s Paris Baguette launches its first outlet in Malaysia

Paris Baguette, a leading bake shop and cafe in South Korea, is expanding further overseas. Its parent company, SPC Group, recently inaugurated the brand’s first bakery cafe in Malaysia.

The first Paris Baguette in the country was launched in the city of Kuala Lumpur, and this took place just six months after the company signed a joint venture deal with the local firm, Berjaya Group, to enter the Malaysian market.

According to The Korea Times, the Korean bakery chain will continue to expand into the halal market with a population of 1.9 billion since it also includes the Middle East and Southeast Asia. For this growth plan, it will turn its SPC Johor Bahru plant in Malaysia into a hub for the production and distribution of the bakery’s products to Paris Baguette stores. In any case, the production facility is expected to be completed by the second half of this year.

Customers in Malaysia can find the new Paris Baguette shop in Kuala Lumpur on the third floor of Pavilion Kula Lumpur multiplex located in Bukit Bintang, which is considered the largest commercial district in Malaysia’s capital city.

The bakery cafe sits can seat 94 customers and occupies 264 square meters of space. Diners can enjoy various freshly baked varieties of bread, pasta, salads, sandwiches, and even some brunch menu. All the products are prepared on the spot in the shop’s open kitchen.

Now, since Malaysia is home to a lot of Muslims, Paris Baguette will not be serving any type of food or bread made with pork. This is done out of respect for the country’s Islamic culture. Instead, SPC Group will add new menu items which it is developing to suit the palate of the locals.

"We will work with Berjaya Group to make Paris Baguette a beloved brand in Malaysia," Korea Joongang Daily quoted Hur Jin Soo, SPC Group’s president, as saying in a statement.

Dato' Sydney Quays, Berjaya Food Berhad’s chief executive officer, added that they are “happy to introduce world-class Paris Baguette products to Malaysia. Starting with opening our very first store in Kuala Lumpur, we will actively expand the stores across Malaysia."