What is Paris Baguette?
Walk around a neighbourhood in Korea, and you might notice something interesting—there is a Paris Baguette on almost every street. In fact, Paris Baguette is one of the biggest bakery chains in South Korea with 3,250 shops in the country alone! The franchise has even expanded to other countries, including China, Vietnam, Singapore, France, and the United States.
The bakery centralizes itself around the concept of “French-Asian” goods. When first founded, the idea was that Paris Baguette would introduce French-style pastries to Koreans, who were more accustomed to steamed bread and rice cakes. This is evident in the bakery’s menu, where fusion breads, such as the red bean bun, are featured. Some other treats incorporate green tea and sesame, something that would also not be found in traditional Western bakeries.
While it’s hard to determine exactly how Paris Baguette came to be so popular, it definitely ties back to its French-Korean fusion baking style. In Korea, sweet and savory treats are all the trend, as can be seen, by the popularity of honey butter flavoured chips. In fact, even Cheetos in Korea are sweet! Paris Baguette jumped ahead of the trend by offering customers not only the basic cream pastries but also savory items that have a sweet kick. For example, hot dog pastries with sweet mayo, cheese, or even cream.
In a society where diet culture is at large, Paris Baguette also displays the nutritional information of each baked good. By doing so, the bakery gives customers more control over what they put in their bodies—something that most bakeries do not. Though this may seem like just a minor detail, it is a small way that the Paris Baguette draws consumers in.
Paris Baguette is an expanding franchise with a unique style you need to try for yourself. If there isn’t one near you, there probably will be in the next few years!
Written by Lynn Lee
