South Korean bakery-café brand Paris Baguette has opened its first store in Laos, nearly two years after signing a master franchise agreement with KOLAO Group in October 2024. The launch makes Paris Baguette the first Korean bakery brand to enter Laos and takes its Southeast Asian presence to seven countries, following Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Cambodia.
The new bakery-café is located at KokKok Mega Mall Patuxay in Vientiane. The approximately 360 sq m outlet has 72 seats and combines bakery, café and meal offerings. Its menu includes Fresh Yogurt Cream Cake, Best Ever Garlic Bread and Crunchy Choco Bun, alongside desserts such as Mini Choco Twist and Mr. & Mrs. Bear Madeleine. Local adaptation includes a Musang King Durian Roll Cake.
The store is being developed with Grandview Property, a KOLAO Group affiliate and Paris Baguette’s local partner. KOLAO, one of Laos’ major business groups, signed the master franchise agreement with Paris Baguette in 2024, with the original plan calling for stores to open in 2025.
Paris Baguette Vice Chairman Hur Jin-soo said Laos is strategically important to the company’s Southeast Asian expansion. “Entering Laos has important significance for expanding our business network in the Southeast Asian market and strengthening our momentum for global growth.”
He added that Paris Baguette would combine its accumulated global capabilities with KOLAO Group’s local-market expertise to develop an optimised business model and pursue continued growth.
Grandview Property CEO Jakkaphong Vongthaphanh said the company was pleased to bring Paris Baguette to Laos and described the store as a new lifestyle space offering global-standard products and service.
The entry comes as Laos’ café and dining sector develops alongside urbanisation and a growing middle class. Paris Baguette also sees rising interest in Korean culture among younger consumers as an opportunity for premium bakery and dessert concepts.
Paris Baguette operates internationally through a mix of company-owned, franchise and master-franchise models. The Laos operation is a master franchise partnership with KOLAO Group, although the financial terms and number of stores planned under the agreement have not been publicly disclosed.
For comparison, Paris Baguette’s current U.S. franchise programme lists a $50,000 franchise fee, estimated initial investment of $727,440-$1.825 million, and a $500,000 liquidity requirement. Its 2025 FDD reports 2024 average unit sales of $2.862 million for franchised cafés. These figures apply to the U.S. franchise system and are not the terms of the Laos agreement.
Paris Baguette now has more than 700 locations globally, with recent reporting putting its network at 736 stores across 13 countries. The Laos opening adds another Southeast Asian market to a broader international expansion strategy that includes franchise growth in North America and Europe.
