Tous les Jours, a flagship brand of a leading food company in South Korea, CJ Foodville, plans to open five outlets in Malaysia by the end of this year.
The brand’s master franchisee in Malaysia, Steam Empire Holdings Sdn Bhd said the artisanal bakery café chain will focus on setting up new outlets this year, mainly in Kuala Lumpur.
According to Ho Soo Ling General Manager (GM) for SEH Food, part of Stream Empire Holdings, the first outlet is set to open at Sunway Pyramid Mall by the second quarter of this year and the second will be at Sunway Velocity Mall.
“The third branch is almost secured and we are sourcing locations for the fourth and fifth which are still under negotiation,” she revealed.
From the many surveys CJ Foodville conducted, Ho pointed out how Malaysians are eager to experience the taste of the brand and they generally expect the segment to grow, especially for brands offering artisanal bakery cafes, which is a current trend among youngsters and millennials.
Meanwhile, CJ Foodville regional head for Southeast Asia Jeong Soo Won said that after strengthening its presence in ASEAN countries – such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore – the company sees Malaysia as the next ASEAN country for its business expansion.
“Besides, Malaysian customers are enjoying a lifestyle that is very similar to Korean customers. I think it will fit well as it is healthy and very trendy,” he said, adding that many Malaysians are influenced by Korean culture, which significantly contributed in the brand’s decision in introducing its offerings into the country.
At the same time, Jeong also emphasised that CJ Foodville aims to secure its halal certificate before the opening of the first Tous les Jours outlet.
“In Indonesia, it has been five years since we received the halal certification. Thus, with the opening of Tous les Jours in Malaysia, we plan to apply for it before our opening,” he added.
Currently, the brand operates over 1,300 stores in Korea and 550 global outlets in the Unites States, Canada, China, Mongolia and several ASEAN countries.
