Walk into any Paris Baguette and you will find soft milk bread, butter croissants, and beautifully decorated cakes that feel somehow both French and unmistakably Korean. The brand has become one of the fastest-growing bakery-café chains in the world — and yet most customers have no idea who is behind it. The answer starts with a South Korean family, a small confectionery shop from 1945, and one man’s obsession with bringing world-class baking to everyday people.
Who Owns Paris Baguette in 2026?
Paris Baguette is owned by SPC Group — a major South Korean food and confectionery conglomerate headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Paris Baguette operates as a subsidiary within the SPC Group family of brands, under the operating company Paris Croissant Co., Ltd.
The ultimate controlling owner of SPC Group is Chairman Hur Young-in — a South Korean entrepreneur born in 1949, widely known as South Korea’s “Franchise King.” He built SPC Group from a family bakery business that dates back to 1945, and Paris Baguette is his most globally recognized creation.
The 2026 Restructuring: A New Holding Company Takes Over
In January 2026, SPC Group made a significant structural change that directly affects how Paris Baguette is owned and governed.
SPC Group restructured Paris Croissant — which had previously functioned as the group’s de facto holding company by holding stakes in most affiliates — into a new holding company called Sangmidang Holdings (SMDH) and a separate operating company retaining the Paris Croissant name, via a corporate split. The move was described as a step to strengthen governance transparency ahead of further overseas expansion.
In June 2026, Hur Jin-soo — the eldest son of Chairman Hur Young-in and a third-generation member of the founding family — was named CEO of Sangmidang Holdings. This appointment is widely seen as the beginning of a formal succession process, transferring the SPC Group empire from the second generation to the third.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Stake / Position | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPC Group | Ultimate Parent Company | 100% owner of Paris Baguette brand | South Korean food conglomerate; founded 2004 by Hur Young-in |
| Sangmidang Holdings (SMDH) | New Group Holding Company | Controls SPC Group affiliates | Created January 2026 after Paris Croissant corporate split |
| Paris Croissant Co., Ltd. | Direct Operating Parent of Paris Baguette | Operating subsidiary of SPC Group | South Korean bakery company running Paris Baguette franchise globally |
| Hur Young-in | Founder & Chairman of SPC Group | Controlling family ownership | Born 1949; dubbed South Korea’s “Franchise King” |
| Hur Jin-soo | CEO of Sangmidang Holdings | Third-generation heir | Appointed June 2026; eldest son of Chairman Hur Young-in |
| Darren Tipton | CEO of Paris Baguette North America | Management role | Leads U.S. and Canada operations from Bergen County, New Jersey |
| No public shareholders | N/A | Private family company | SPC Group is privately held; no stock exchange listing |
The Origin Story: From a Small Bakery in 1945 to a Global Chain
The roots of Paris Baguette stretch back much further than 1988. In 1945, Hur Chang-sung — the father of current chairman Hur Young-in — started a small confectionery outfit called Sangmidang in Hwanghae Province. By 1959, the business had been renamed Samlip and had grown into one of South Korea’s leading bread and biscuit makers — known especially for its iconic cream-filled pastry.
Hur Young-in inherited the family business mindset and took it further. He traveled to the United States in 1981 to study baking at the American Institute of Baking in Kansas — a rare commitment to craft that would define his entire vision for Paris Baguette. Back in Seoul, he opened a European-style bakery called Paris Croissant in 1986, followed by the launch of the Paris Baguette franchise in 1988.
The concept was simple but powerful: bring the artisan quality of a Parisian boulangerie to a fast-service, accessible bakery-café format that ordinary people could walk into and afford. By 2004, Paris Baguette had become the No. 1 bakery brand in South Korea, and the same year Hur formally consolidated his various businesses under the unified SPC Group holding structure.
Is Paris Baguette Actually French?
This is the question every new customer asks — and the answer is no. Paris Baguette is a South Korean company that draws heavy inspiration from French baking culture, but it has no ownership or operational connection to France whatsoever.
In fact, Paris Baguette only has seven locations in Paris itself — the city whose name it carries. The brand is overwhelmingly concentrated in South Korea, where it operates approximately 3,700 stores, and in Asia, with around 300 locations in China. Its French aesthetic — the name, the design language, the product menu — is a deliberate brand positioning choice, not a reflection of French ownership.
Hur Young-in received the Ordre National du Mérite and the Mérite Agricole Chevalier from the French government in 2010 and 2012 respectively — official recognition from France for his role in spreading French baking culture globally. That is as close as Paris Baguette gets to its namesake country.
Paris Baguette’s American Expansion: The 1,000-Unit Dream
Paris Baguette first entered the U.S. market in 2005 and began franchising in 2015. As of 2026, it operates over 270 locations across 28 U.S. states and is aggressively expanding.
CEO Darren Tipton has set a target of reaching 1,000 U.S. locations and 100 Canadian locations by 2030. In 2026 alone, the brand planned to open 150 new bakeries in North America — a dramatic step up from the 80 units opened in 2025.
The brand is also expanding into Mexico, Central America, and South America for the first time in 2026.
To support this growth, Paris Baguette announced a $160 million investment in a new U.S. bakery manufacturing plant in Burleson, Texas, which is expected to begin production in 2027, creating 450 jobs and becoming one of the largest employers in the area.
Paris Baguette ranked 42nd on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list — a significant achievement placing it ahead of many well-established American chains. The brand has also recorded 20 consecutive quarters of positive sales in North America, a streak that includes weathering the COVID-19 pandemic.
What Else Does SPC Group Own?
SPC Group is far more than just Paris Baguette. Under Chairman Hur Young-in, the conglomerate has built one of the most diverse food and beverage portfolios in Asia.
Within South Korea, SPC Group operates the country’s Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin’ franchise networks — totaling approximately 1,800 combined locations. It also runs Pascucci (an Italian café chain), The World Vine (wine distribution), Jamba Juice (smoothie bars), and the Korean franchise operation of Shake Shack. All of these brands sit alongside Paris Baguette and Paris Croissant under the SPC Group umbrella.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns Paris Baguette in 2026?
Paris Baguette is owned by SPC Group, a privately held South Korean food conglomerate controlled by Chairman Hur Young-in and his family.
Q2. Is Paris Baguette a French company?
No. Paris Baguette is a South Korean brand founded in Seoul in 1988 — it has no French ownership despite its French-inspired name and aesthetic.
Q3. Who founded Paris Baguette and when?
Paris Baguette was founded in 1988 by Hur Young-in, chairman of SPC Group, building on a family bakery legacy that began with his father Hur Chang-sung in 1945.
Q4. What is SPC Group?
SPC Group is a major South Korean food conglomerate that owns Paris Baguette, Paris Croissant, and operates South Korean franchises of Baskin-Robbins, Dunkin’, Shake Shack, and Jamba Juice.
Q5. What happened to SPC Group’s ownership structure in 2026?
In January 2026, SPC Group restructured, creating a new holding company called Sangmidang Holdings (SMDH) to improve governance transparency ahead of further global expansion.
Q6. How many Paris Baguette locations exist globally?
Paris Baguette operates approximately 4,500 locations worldwide, including around 3,700 in South Korea, 300 in China, and over 270 in the United States across 28 states.
Q7. Who is the CEO of Paris Baguette North America?
Darren Tipton serves as CEO of Paris Baguette North America, operating from the brand’s U.S. headquarters in Bergen County, New Jersey.
Q8. How many Paris Baguette locations are planned for the U.S. by 2030?
SPC Group has set a target of 1,000 U.S. locations and 100 Canadian locations for Paris Baguette by 2030, with 150 new North American openings planned for 2026 alone.
Paris Baguette is owned by SPC Group — a privately held South Korean food conglomerate controlled by the Hur family. Chairman Hur Young-in, born in 1949 and nicknamed South Korea’s “Franchise King,” founded Paris Baguette in 1988 after building on his family’s bakery heritage that stretches back to 1945.
In January 2026, SPC Group restructured under a new holding company called Sangmidang Holdings, and in June 2026, Hur Jin-soo — the founder’s son — was named its CEO, marking the beginning of a third-generation succession.
Today, Paris Baguette operates approximately 4,500 locations in over 10 countries, is targeting 1,000 U.S. locations by 2030, and is investing $160 million in its first American manufacturing facility in Texas. Despite the French name and aesthetic, this is a South Korean brand through and through — built by one family, one generation at a time.
