SPC Group President Hur Jin-soo, left, poses with Malaysian Minister of Domestic Trade and Living Costs Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, center, and Berjaya Food Berhad CEO Dato' Sydney Quays at the opening ceremony for Malaysia's first Paris Baguette, at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday. Courtesy of SPC

By Kim Jae-heun

SPC has opened its first Paris Baguette bakery cafe in Kuala Lumpur, six months after establishing a joint venture with local partner Berjaya Group to enter the Malaysian market, the company said Thursday.

Korea's largest bakery operator plans to expand into the halal market of 1.9 billion people, including Southeast Asia and the Middle East, using its SPC Johor Bahru plant in Malaysia as a hub. The construction of a production facility is scheduled to be completed in the second half of this year.

"We will work with Berjaya Group to make Paris Baguette a beloved brand in Malaysia," SPC Group President Hur Jin-soo said.

SPC's new Paris Baguette store in Kuala Lumpur is located on the third floor of the premium multiplex Pavilion Kuala Lumpur in Bukit Bintang, the largest commercial district in the capital city. The bakery cafe stretches 264 square meters in size and has 94 seats in total.

Paris Baguette will offer freshly baked bread, salad sandwiches, brunch items and pasta products prepared on the spot in its open kitchen at the cafe.

It will not serve any products made with pork out of respect for Islamic culture, as Malaysia is home to a high proportion of Muslims. Instead, the bakery chain will have rice doughnuts, twisted bread sticks and crab croquettes, which are popular products in Indonesia and Cambodia currently. SPC plans to sell new menu items developed to suit local taste buds.

In addition, the company will hold K-pop-related promotional events to attract local fans.

"We are happy to introduce world-class Paris Baguette products to Malaysia. Starting with opening our very first store in Kuala Lumpur, we will actively expand the stores across Malaysia," Berjaya Food Berhad CEO Dato' Sydney Quays said.