Bread News

Paris Baguette, bakery chain from Korea, expands Dallas presence

Croissants and breads and pastries oh my.

Photo courtesy of Paris Baguette

An international bakery-café concept is expanding its North Texas presence: Paris Baguette will open a location in Carrollton, in the same center as H-Mart at 2625 Old Denton Rd.

Paris Baguette is a chain founded in Korea known for its cakes, pastries, croissants, and breads. This marks their second location in DFW; there's also a location in Lewisville that opened in mid-2019. A spokesperson from the Lewisville bakery confirmed that the Carrollton location would open in early 2021.

The chain was founded in 1988 by Korean businessman Hur Young-in, and has locations in South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, and China. Their lineup includes classic French-style goods that sometimes incorporate Asian ingredients, such as buns stuffed with red-bean filling.

According to a Bloomberg story, the chain started out as a small bakery in North Korea founded by Hur's father in 1945. Hur came to Kansas to learn baking from the American Institute of Baking. Hmm, of all the places to learn baking, Kansas?

The Lewisville location is attached to the Zion Mart, a supermarket that's part of the expansion of a new Koreatown in the former Vista Ridge/Music City Mall, and it has a cafe component with sandwiches, salads, coffee, and tea drinks, which is unique for the chain.

Many of their items are croissant-based, and more than a few are savory, filled with ingredients like sausage and crab croquettes. They also have doughnuts, cronuts, cream puffs, and cream-filled pastries of all kinds. People also rave about their cakes.

As is the case with this style of bakery, most of the pastries are self-serve; you load them onto a tray and head for the cashier.

The first U.S. location opened in Los Angeles in 2005, one of many Asian-founded bakeries that specializes in French-style goods such as Mozart and Taiwanese bakery chain 85C.There are currently more than 80 locations in the U.S. selling up to 300 products -- from breads to pastries and cakes.

desserts

Grocery News

Discount grocery SaveGo Wholesale debuts in Plano with Asian goods

SaveGo

SaveGo Wholesale has just opened in Plano.

A grocery store with discounts on Asian goods is now open in Plano: Called SaveGo Wholesale, it's a locally-founded Asian grocery chain that just opened at 915 W. Parker Rd. #311, in a shopping center just west of US-75 at Alma Road.

SaveGo was founded by entrepreneur Jacky Chan, who previously worked for ABC Food Trading, a wholesale distributor where he learned the ropes of the discount Asian grocery world; now he's putting that to use in his own concept.

SaveGo specializes in Asian groceries, restaurant ingredients, and everyday essentials. Store footprints are far smaller than a typical Kroger or Tom Thumb — more in line, both in size and vibe, with a concept like Aldi, including merchandise packaged in its original shipping boxes or set on pallets. Not having to unpack products helps lower costs.

"SaveGo Wholesale is a warehouse-style grocery store, designed to deliver value and quality, with no membership required," Chan says. "That’s why SaveGo Wholesale offers a warehouse-style shopping experience with wholesale pricing for both families and businesses."

The store is aimed at restaurants or big families who like to cook Asian food. Items are packed in large bulk sizes — like an Asian version of Restaurant Depot, the chain that sells wholesale food, beverages, equipment, and supplies for restaurants and bars.

But they also have a prep area where they'll repackage items in smaller portions.

Produce from SaveGo WholesaleSaveGo

In addition to unadorned racks piles with merchandise, there are also walk-in coolers, open to customers, stocked with produce, dairy, and beverages. Merchandise will rotate depending on season and whatever deals are available. The store's website does not list prices.

Fresh produce currently offered includes honeydew melons, green onions, corn on the cob, iceberg lettuce, bell peppers, carrots, bok choy, lemons, broccoli, ginger, and more.

Dry goods range from massive bags of Szechuan peppercorns to gallon bottles of cooking oil to to sacks of rice to cases of tapioca pearls for bubble tea. This is the place to get the largest bottle of corn syrup your heart could desire.

Plano, which is in soft opening mode, is the first store but Chan has big plans to open more. The store lies right in the middle of a brisk Asian market area, with H Mart Plano just a mile east; 99 Ranch Market, about 2 miles north; JusGo Market about 3 miles north.

Meanwhile, the Plano store will celebrate a grand opening that's also a combination Chinese New Year event on February 21, with dancers, vendors, and product demos.

asian supermarkets