Dive Brief:
- Paris Baguette said it plans to construct a bakery manufacturing plant in Burleson, Texas, the café franchise’s first production site in North America.
- The 260,000-square-foot factory, set to break ground this summer, is part of a $160 million investment from Paris Baguette North America that aims to meet the growing bakery demands of the French-inspired brand’s locations across the U.S. and Canada.
- The plant will create 450 jobs, making Paris Baguette one of the top five employers in the area, according to a news release. It is slated to begin production of its artisanal pastries and breads in 2027.
Dive Insight:
Paris Baguette, founded in 1988, is one of the biggest bakery café chains in South Korea, with more than 4,000 locations across the globe.
After establishing a foothold in South Korea, the French-inspired chain turned its attention to the Western Hemisphere for growth opportunities. Paris Baguette is now on track to expand to 1,000 stores across North America by 2030, with the Burleson manufacturing plant playing a key role in supporting its plans.
“With this new facility, we are not only reinforcing our supply chain but also ensuring that we can continue offering the best in class, high-quality baked goods to our growing base of loyal guests,” CEO Darren Tipton said in a statement.
Last year, Paris Baguette awarded 163 new franchises and opened 51 cafés, according to a release. Building on that momentum, the company has 78 leases signed and is set to reach its goal of opening 100 locations in North America this year — including new markets in Delaware, Oklahoma and Puerto Rico.
Along with the manufacturing investment, the project is also receiving $14 million from local and state authorities, including $10 million from Burleson and Johnson County governments and tax benefits from the state of Texas, according to a release.
Paris Baguette is owned by food and confectionary conglomerate SPC Group. It is one of the leading global bakery brands, ranking 42nd overall on Entrepreneur’s latest franchise 500 list, behind competition like Dunkin’ and Cinnabon.
In addition to North America, the company is looking to break into markets in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Paris Baguette recently celebrated the launch of its Johor, Malaysia, manufacturing site, which makes halal foods for people with religious dietary restrictions.
