How Korean Coffee & Bakery Brands Are Entering China

Korean food and beverage brands are making strategic moves into the Chinese market—not by going it alone, but by partnering with local operators. From bakeries to cafés, these companies are using master franchising and joint ventures to scale rapidly without shouldering the full operational risk. This approach allows well-known Korean names to establish a foothold in key regions like Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanghai with the help of experienced local partners.

In just over a year, more than 50 Korean-branded cafés have opened in China, while bakeries and pizzerias are seeing monthly sales figures that rival their performance back home. These numbers reveal a clear trend: Korean F&B brands are targeting China’s growing coffee and convenience food markets with calculated, localized expansion strategies.

Tous Les Jours Expands via Master Franchising

Tous Les Jours, the well-known bakery brand under CJ Foodville (part of South Korea’s CJ Group), has signed a master franchising agreement with China’s Shaanxi Century Sanmao Food Co., Ltd. This deal grants the Chinese firm the rights to operate Tous Les Jours stores in Henan and Shaanxi provinces. Master franchising lets the parent company license its brand to a local operator, who then manages expansion and pays royalties—without CJ Foodville directly entering the market. With over 100 existing locations in Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, and Vietnam, Tous Les Jours is betting on this model to stabilize its presence in China quickly. The brand brings its signature European-style pastries to a market increasingly hungry for international bakery concepts.

Pizza Maru’s Strong Sales in Shanghai

Pizza brand Pizza Maru is also finding success in China. Its three Shanghai locations are reporting monthly sales averaging over 100 million Korean won (approximately $77,000 USD or 530,000 RMB). The most impressive results come from the North Zhou Road branch, which opened in March 2023: in just three months, it hit total sales of 480 million Korean won, averaging 160 million won per month—placing it in the top ten performing Pizza Maru stores globally, including those in Korea. Meanwhile, the Wuxi Wanda Plaza location (opened April 2023) and the Hongkou Longemont Plaza shop (May 2023) are also performing strongly, with monthly sales of 100 million and 110 million won respectively. These figures show that Korean pizza concepts can compete with local offerings in China’s urban food scene.

Caffebene’s Rapid China Rollout

Caffebene, a Korean coffee shop chain, has become one of the fastest-growing foreign café brands in China. In just 14 months after forming a joint venture with China’s Zhongqi Investment Group and opening its first location in Beijing’s Wangjing district, Caffebene has launched its 50th store in China. This milestone comes as the brand also operates six cafés in the United States and two in the Philippines. The company plans to further expand into Saudi Arabia and Indonesia later this year. With 50 stores in China, six in the U.S., and two in the Philippines already open, Caffebene is leveraging partnerships to accelerate its global footprint—proving that Korean coffee chains can scale quickly abroad with the right local alliances.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a master franchising agreement?

A master franchising agreement allows a local company in the target country to operate and expand a foreign brand under license, paying fees to the parent company. The local partner handles recruitment, training, and day-to-day management—meaning the original brand doesn’t need to enter the market directly. Tous Les Jours used this model to enter Henan and Shaanxi provinces in China through a deal with Shaanxi Century Sanmao Food Co., Ltd.

How well are Korean pizza brands performing in China?

Pizza Maru’s Shanghai locations are seeing strong sales, with its North Zhou Road branch averaging 160 million Korean won (about $118,000 USD or 800,000 RMB) per month—ranking it in the global top ten for the brand. Other Shanghai outlets also report monthly revenues over 100 million won, outperforming expectations in the competitive Chinese food market.

How many Caffebene cafés are there in China?

Caffebene has opened 50 cafés in China within 14 months of launching its first location in Beijing via a joint venture with Zhongqi Investment Group. The brand also operates six stores in the U.S. and two in the Philippines, with plans to expand further into Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.

Which Chinese cities have Tous Les Jours locations?

Tous Les Jours already has stores in major Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Under its new master franchising deal, it will expand into Henan and Shaanxi provinces, working with a local Chinese operator to grow its presence in those regions.

Why are Korean brands using partnerships to enter China?

Korean brands like Tous Les Jours, Pizza Maru, and Caffebene use master franchising and joint ventures to reduce risk and leverage local expertise. This allows them to scale quickly without directly managing operations in a complex foreign market, while still expanding their brand presence in high-potential regions like China.