S. Korean dessert-coffee chain bets on signature strawberry cakes to win over US consumers
South Korean coffee chain A Twosome Place is set to enter the US market next month, bringing its signature cake topped with fresh strawberries and filled with whipped cream and crunchy chocolate balls to the world’s largest food service market.
Announcing the company’s first major push overseas, CEO Moon Young-ju said Thursday that it would open its first US store on King Street in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, with plans to expand across the wider Washington metropolitan area.
“We aim to introduce our distinctive ‘K-pairing’ experience as a new cafe culture in the US,” Moon said in a press conference held at Conrad Seoul Hotel, referring to the company’s concept of pairing coffee with desserts.
At the heart of its dessert menu will be its signature strawberry chocolate whip cake, with the hope that its lighter, less-sweet whipped cream cakes topped with fresh fruit will stand out from the denser, buttercream-heavy cakes offered in the US.
The company also plans to tailor its format to American dining habits through what it calls an “all-day cafe” strategy.
To cater to stronger early-morning demand in the US, the Alexandria store is expected to open as early as 5 or 6 a.m. Its menu will go beyond coffee and desserts, offering breakfast as well as light lunch and dinner options.
The menu will include Korean-inspired dishes such as K-toast and bulgogi bibimbap bowls, alongside desserts featuring flavors such as dalgona, black sesame and injeolmi — rice cake coated in roasted soybean powder.
The store in Alexandria, measuring 241 square meters, will have 78 seats and will be operated directly by the company to ensure quality and build brand awareness in the US.
Prices are expected to be 10 to 20 percent higher than in Korea due to higher labor and operating costs in the US.
“We are not entering the US to compete with other Korean bakery chains,” Moon said. “Our goal is to take on established US cafe brands and show what A Twosome Place has built over the past 25 years.”
junheee@heraldcorp.com
