Korea's Paris Baguette to open more stores in US

South Korea's food and beverage giant SPC Group said Tuesday it will sharply increase the number of stores of its bakery chain Paris Baguette in the United States as part of its global expansion drive.

"We will increase the number of Paris Baguette stores in operation in the US to 300 by 2020 and create up to 10,000 new jobs," SPC Group Chairman Hur Young-in said during a meeting with Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), the chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee. 

The undated file photo provided by SPC Group on April 1, 2015, shows the facade of the fifth bakery outlet of Paris Baguette in Manhattan in New York. SPC Group is the parent group of Paris Baguette. (Yonhap)

Royce is leading a bipartisan delegation to South Korea. Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA), a member of the committee, was also present at Tuesday's meeting in Seoul, according to SPC Group.

The business group launched the first Paris Baguette store in the US in Los Angeles in 2005 and currently operates 57 outlets throughout the US Its sales from the North American country reached US$100 million last year. (Yonhap)