Cheering for One-Hour Lines and Instagrammable Displays... K-Bakery Embeds Itself in American Daily Life

43 Million Pastries Sold in 8 Months
Paris Baguette Makes Its Mark on the U.S. Morning Market
Tous Les Jours' Cream Bread and Cloud Cake Gain Popularity
Lotteria Draws 1,200 Daily Visitors, Shrimp Burger in High Demand

Paris Baguette's croissants that have captivated the morning commute, Lotteria drawing lines in the homeland of hamburgers, and Tous Les Jours' milk cream bread selling 100 pieces per hour-K-Bakery brands are cementing their presence in the U.S. market. They are no longer just “nostalgia businesses” targeting Korean expatriates but are growing into main brands embedded in the daily lives of local consumers.

Manhattan 1270 Lexington Avenue store in the United States.
[Photo by SPC Group]

43 Million Sold in 8 Months... Dominating the Morning Market

According to the food industry on September 14, Paris Baguette, operated by SPC Group, sold 43 million pastries from January to August. This figure is close to last year's total sales of 48 million. On a monthly average, sales increased by more than 32% compared to the previous year. This growth is attributed to both the expansion of new stores and strong sales of product lines at existing locations.Traditional pastries such as chocolate croissants, pain au chocolat, and peanut cream bread have become the “coffee partners” for office workers commuting in the morning.Paris Baguette has successfully tapped into the American habit of grabbing bread and coffee for breakfast.

Performance is also on an upward trajectory. Last year, Paris Baguette recorded U.S. sales of 449 billion won, an 18% increase from the previous year. Franchise stores account for 85% of its U.S. presence, indicating that local franchisees recognize it as a stable revenue model.

Since entering the U.S. in 2005, Paris Baguette has opened about 230 stores over the past 20 years. Globally, it operates more than 660 stores across 14 countries. In October last year, the company surpassed 600 global stores by opening a directly operated location on Bloor Street in Toronto, Canada. It has also established a strong presence in key countries such as China (340 stores), Singapore (24), Malaysia (18), the United Kingdom (3), and France (6).

The brand's expansion in the U.S. is particularly notable. Beyond its two main hubs in the West (Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix) and East (New York, New Jersey, Boston), Paris Baguette has expanded into inland regions such as Florida, Michigan, Ohio, and South Carolina. In February last year, it opened a location in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii, capturing tourist demand as well.

Brand recognition has also increased. In Entrepreneur magazine’s “2025 Franchise 500,” Paris Baguette ranked 42nd. The brand consistently places in the “Top 50” each year, earning recognition in the local franchise industry. This year alone, it has signed over 170 new contracts in North America and aims to open more than 80 stores. SPC Group plans to become a “Great Food Company” with 12,000 stores worldwide by 2030.

SPC Group is also constructing a large-scale bakery factory in Burleson, Johnson County, Texas, with an investment of 160 million dollars. The facility, with a total floor area of 17,000 square meters, is scheduled for completion in 2027. Once operational, it will be able to supply 500 million products annually and create over 450 jobs. The facility is expected to become a logistics hub for expansion throughout North and Latin America.

Cream Bread Craze and One-Hour Lines for Shrimp Burgers

Tous Les Jours, operated by CJ Foodville, has targeted the U.S. snack market with its cream bread. Its signature product, Milk Cream Bread, is manufactured in Korea and imported, but its soft texture and rich milk cream have made it a popular snack item in the U.S. Last year, about 100 pieces were sold per hour at its stores.

The number of Tous Les Jours locations nearly doubled from 86 in 2022 to 170 this year. Sales also nearly tripled, rising from 51 billion won in 2021 to 137.3 billion won last year. The brand’s strength lies in its wide range of products. Each store freshly bakes around 400 varieties of bread, and their visually appealing displays offer American consumers a “new experience.” In addition to cream bread, products such as fresh cream cakes (Cloud Cake), twisted donuts, and strawberry croissants are gaining popularity. Recently, Korean-style items like kimchi croquettes have also received positive responses locally.

A representative from Tous Les Jours said, “Fresh cream cakes are seen as a refreshing alternative in a market dominated by butter cakes. The visually striking displays alone encourage customers to take photos and return for repeat visits.”

Last month, Lotteria, operated by Lotte GRS, opened its first U.S. location in Fullerton, Orange County, California. Even a month after opening, long lines still form an hour before the store opens at 10 a.m., with an average of 1,200 customers visiting daily.

The most popular menu items are the shrimp burger and bulgogi burger, which together account for 54% of total sales. The shrimp burger, in particular, has captured both the curiosity and taste buds of local consumers, as seafood patties are rare in the U.S. While Korean expatriates made up 70% of initial customers, within just one month, the ratio balanced to half locals and half expatriates. There are even claims that the store attracts more customers than the nearby In-N-Out. A Lotteria representative stated, “This isn’t just a business targeting Korean expatriates-our Korean fast food brand has proven its competitiveness in the homeland of hamburgers. There are even comments that we have more customers than the nearby In-N-Out.”

The common thread among these three brands is that they have become part of the daily lives of local consumers. Paris Baguette’s croissants have become a staple for office workers on their way to work, Tous Les Jours’ cream bread has penetrated the snack market, and Lotteria’s shrimp burger has made inroads in the birthplace of hamburgers.

An industry insider remarked, “In the past, French and Japanese bakeries dominated the U.S. market, but now Korean brands have firmly established their own unique identities. Thanks to investments in local production facilities and product diversification, the reach of K-Bakery is expected to expand to Latin America and the Middle East.”