Paris Baguette opens first store in Malaysia

Paris Baguette, the bakery franchise run by SPC’s Paris Croissant, opened its first store in Malaysia at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, according to the group on Thursday. The store's launch comes six months after Paris Croissant...

From left, President of Paris Croissant Hur Jin-soo, Malaysian Minister of Domestic Trade and Living Costs Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub and Berjaya Food CEO Dato' Sydney Quays attend the opening ceremony of the first Paris Baguette branch in Malaysia at multiplex Pavilion Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. [SPC]

Paris Baguette, the bakery franchise run by SPC’s Paris Croissant, opened its first store in Malaysia at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, according to the group on Thursday.

The store's launch comes six months after Paris Croissant established a joint venture in Malaysia with Berjaya Group, called Berjaya Paris Baguette, last June.

SPC Group plans to actively pursue the halal market in Southeast Asia and Middle East which has a potential consumer base of some 1.9 billion with the completion of construction of its halal plant in Johor Bahru in Malaysia at the latter half of this year.

The opening ceremony of the branch was attended by President of Paris Croissant Hur Jin-soo, Berjaya Group Chairman Tan Sri Dato' Seri Vicent Tan, Berjaya Food’s CEO Dato’ Sydney Quays, Malaysian Minister of Domestic Trade and Living Costs Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub and Korean ambassador to Malaysia Yeo Seung-bae.

“With cooperation from Berjaya Group, we hope to become a beloved brand in Malayisa,” said Hur.

“We are excited to introduce high-quality products of Paris Baguette to Malaysia,” said Sydney Quays. “We plan to actively expand the branches across Malaysia which was kickstarted by our first store here.”

SPC Group continues to expand its influence across the global food market. The group has each formed a joint venture with Indonesia and Cambodia and has a total of 10 Paris Baguette stores within the two countries.

The company has opened two branches in the U.K. and three in France and plans to launch its first branch in Canada this year.

It also acquired French restaurant chain Lina’s, which sells sandwiches and salads, last June, to expand its business across Europe.

A total of 450 Paris Baguette branches operate worldwide.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]