Paris Baguette, the bakery brand operated by South Korean food conglomerate SPC Group, ranked 29th overall and first in the bakery-cafe category in Entrepreneur magazine’s 2026 Franchise 500, marking its entry into the top tier of US franchise operators.
Published annually since 1980, the Franchise 500 is widely regarded as a benchmark for the North American franchise market. This year’s ranking evaluated 1,354 brands across more than 150 criteria, including size, growth, infrastructure, marketing support, brand strength and financial stability.
Paris Baguette has steadily climbed the rankings in recent years, moving from 61st in 2024 to 42nd in 2025 before reaching 29th this year. It was also the only Korean brand to place in the Top 30.
The company attributed the improvement to continued store expansion and stable revenue growth. Paris Baguette opened 77 new locations in North America last year, bringing its total footprint in the region to 285 stores. Based on roughly 100 lease agreements and 300 development contracts signed in 2025, the company plans to open more than 150 additional stores this year.
Paris Baguette has also recorded 20 consecutive quarters of sales growth from the first quarter of 2019 through the fourth quarter of last year. Its US revenue rose about 30 percent in 2025 from a year earlier.
To support its accelerating expansion across the Americas, the company said it is building a large-scale bakery manufacturing facility in Texas, scheduled for completion in 2029.
“The Franchise 500 is widely regarded as one of the most authoritative rankings in the industry,” said Darren Tipton, CEO of Paris Baguette North America. “This recognition reflects the strength and scalability of our franchise business model.”
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