Paris Baguette opens first store in Laos, marking industry first

Paris Baguette has opened its first store in Laos, becoming the first South Korean bakery brand to enter the country, the company announced Tuesday.

The opening expands Paris Baguette's Southeast Asian footprint to seven countries, adding Laos to an existing presence in Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Cambodia. The company signed a master franchise agreement with KOLAO Group in Laos in 2024.

The first Laos store sits on the ground floor of Kok Kok Mega Mall Patuxai, a newly built shopping complex in the Patuxai district — a prime commercial area in the capital Vientiane. The bakery cafe spans about 360 square meters and seats 72. It carries globally popular items such as Fresh Yogurt Cream Cake, Best Ever Garlic Bread and Crunchy Choco Bun, alongside locally tailored products including a Muang King Durian Roll Cake developed to suit Lao consumer tastes.

Jakkapong Wangtapan, CEO of Grand View Property — an affiliate of partner KOLAO Group — said he was "delighted to introduce Paris Baguette to Laos for the first time," adding that the store would serve as "a new lifestyle destination offering world-class products and service." Paris Baguette Vice Chairman Heo Jin-su said the Laos entry "carries significant meaning in expanding our business network in the Southeast Asian market and strengthening our global growth momentum."

Meanwhile, Paris Baguette completed a halal-certified production center in Johor, Malaysia, last year. In February, it obtained official halal certification from MUIS, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, for all its Singapore stores. In July, it also completed halal certification for all its stores in Indonesia. Paris Baguette now operates more than 730 stores across 13 countries, including its seven Southeast Asian markets as well as the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, China and Mongolia.