It’s the end-of-year holiday season where we look back on the plans we made at the beginning of the year. SPC has worked tirelessly to welcome new growth and changes this year. We have achieved great results, such as opening our 500th global store with the best quality and creative challenges, and leading the food tech industry based on latest technology. Today, we have taken the time to look back at the good news from SPC that made 2023 bright, and to look back on our actions over the past year. Click on each title in the image below to take a closer look at SPC’s 2023 good news!
Click on the title in the image to check the details.
SPC Accelerating Global Expansion
SPC expanded its scope of activities to the international stage this year and solidified its position as a global brand. Starting with its entry into China in 2004, it has steadily expanded its global business and entered 10 countries, including the U.S., France, the U.K., Canada, and Singapore. In particular, Paris Baguette has surpassed the milestone of opening its 500th global store. In addition, in November, we became the first domestic company to sign an official partnership with Paris Saint-Germain, a popular French soccer club, and continued various marketing activities by fully launching sports marketing in line with strengthening our global business.
In addition, we announced a new start by signing MOU agreements with various global companies and organizations in the international community. For example, last April, Paris Baguette joined hands with New York City and the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) to sign a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MOU) to help New Yorkers create global jobs, and in October, it signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Middle East. We signed a joint venture partnership agreement (MOU) for the expansion of Paris Baguette into the Middle East with Galadari Brothers Group, a leading local company.
In June, SPC Samlip signed a partnership agreement with Siam Makro, a distribution affiliate of Thailand’s CP Group, signaling its full-fledged entry into the Thai market. Through this agreement, we plan to consider establishing a joint venture to produce and distribute bakery products in Thailand and expand our business to the Southeast Asian market in the future. SPC plans to promote the excellence of Korean bakeries around the world next year.
Impressive Transformation of Traditional Snacks Leads the Korean Dessert Market
This year, Korean desserts were popular all over the world. SPC participated in Anuga, the world’s largest food and beverage industry fair held in Cologne, Germany, and promoted the excellence of Korean desserts to the world. Starting with Yakgwa, a traditional Korean dessert, a total of 53 menu items were presented, including SPC Samlip’s signature menu items, Samlip Hopang, Samlip Hotteok, and Bizeun rice cake, as well as various desserts, Himyun, and dumplings. In addition, Carearth Yakgwa received a great response by being selected as a finalist of the Innovation Show, beating a whopping 116 to 1.
In addition, SPC’s various brands introduced Korean desserts, which are modern reinterpretations of traditional foods. Dunkin’ launched Honey Glazed Yakgwa and Injeolmi Chewisty, which are reinterpretations of donuts in Korean style, while SPC Samlip launched Honey Blossom Cookie and Jocheong Moyakgwa. Paris Baguette has captivated everyone’s taste buds with its Yakgwa Cookie, which is a Western-style dessert cookie topped with the traditional dessert Yakgwa. Meet SPC’s products that give you a glimpse into the endless charms of Korean desserts!
The Practice of Sharing to Create a Warm Society
SPC is practicing the value of sharing with socially vulnerable groups through continuous social contribution activities. In April, together with the Purme Foundation, we held the SPC Happy Fund Donation Agreement Ceremony to support disabled children at the Paris Croissant Arts Center. We also held the ‘Dream, in Bloom’ exhibition reflecting on the meaning of the Day of People with Disabilities and supporting the dreams and careers of disabled youth. In the same month, SPC also supported confectionery and baking education for the disabled by holding a special baking lecture, SPC & Soul Happy Bakery Class, for disabled pâtissiers working at Soul Bakery.
Not only that, we also carried out various global campaigns to spread good influence. In February, we donated $100,000 to the Korean Red Cross through Happy Share Campaign, one of SPC’s social contribution programs, to help Türkiye and Syria affected by the earthquake. The Happy Share Campaign is more meaningful as it highlights the participation of consumers who directly take part in the Happy Story corner of the Happy Point application or donate through the Korean Red Cross site link on the page. In March, in collaboration with the global non-governmental organization (NGO), World Vision, we officially launched the Pink Dream campaign to support the successful independence and dreams of young people preparing for self-reliance, actively encouraging young people to advance into society and providing comprehensive health checkups and also supporting psychological counseling programs.
SPC’s Activities to Create a Sustainable Earth
SPC is carrying out various activities to strengthen environmental management. A representative example is the SPC Coffee Sack Upcycle Design Contest held in November. Prior to the contest, we held a Special Upcycling Lecture at schools to help students understand upcycle design, and through an awards ceremony, we publicized the infinite possibilities of upcycle design and helped them demonstrate their capabilities as fashion designers.
In addition, for packing materials, that have an impact on the environment, we are using green-certified packaging materials continuing our efforts to protect the environment. In June, SPC Samlip applied green-certified eco-friendly packaging to over 1,600 items, including Pokemon Bread, Sanrio Bread, and Samlip Hopang. In particular, eco-friendly packaging materials manufactured using a flexographic printing method called green printing were applied to over 140 items, including Samlip Hopang and Mini Honey Yakgwa. In July, Paris Baguette applied green-certified packaging materials to a total of 26 items from major bakeries, including all finished bread products, reducing the use of disposable plastic shopping bags by nearly 90% compared to the existing amount as of 2022. In 2022, we launched the Reduce Disposable Knives campaign, which provided knives only to consumers who requested them, and reduced the number of existing knives by more than 20%. SPC will continue to make the Earth a cleaner place through its interest and support for the environment.
Food Technology That Changed the Paradigm of the Food Industry
2023 was a year in which the evolution of food tech, which creates new types of industries and added value, stood out. In March, SPC Secta9ine applied deep learning-based object recognition AI technology to develop a product recognition scanner, that derives the price of products without the need for store staffs to separately scan barcodes, gaining attention. Secta9ine’s advanced technologies, such as deep learning and algorithm technology, are expected to lead to technological advancements and trends throughout the food industry in the future.
SPC Samlip has attracted attention for developing Samlip Generative Product Development (SGPD) business solution that combines the latest AI technologies such as Chat GPT and image creation AI, Stable Diffusion, to quickly respond to the rapidly changing market environment and introduce unique products that meet consumer needs. SPC Samlip will continue to analyze market trend big data such as online commerce, social media, and offline shops through SGPD, and plan to focus more on quality improvement and creative activities to shorten the time required for the initial process of new product development. Please watch the progress of Secta9ine and SPC Samlip, which will carry out smarter management activities through the meeting of food and technology.
Splendid Achievement in Various Awards
In 2023, an award relay was held in which various organizations recognized SPC’s product quality and design. In January, Teatra won the International Superior Taste Award at the 2023 ITI International Food and Beverage Fair, which evaluates excellent food and beverage products from over 130 countries around the world and grants a certification mark. In May, SPC Samlip’s Meegak bakery won the main prize in the food package category at the iF Design Award (International Forum Design Award) for its gift set package. Paris Baguette won the 2023 Monde Selection, a world-renowned international quality evaluation organization, in recognition of its excellent taste and appearance, winning the Gold Award for two consecutive years.
Meanwhile, Secta9ine has made consistent efforts to guarantee leisure activities and improve the welfare of its executives and employees, and received the Minister’s Award at the 2023 Leisure-Friendly Certification awards ceremony, which recognized its efforts. Secta9ine will continue to listen to the opinions of its members and strive to create its own healthy organizational culture by operating various programs that pursue harmony between work and leisure.
So far, we looked at the good news from SPC in 2023. We were able to get a glimpse of SPC’s tireless efforts to ensure customer happiness and fulfill its social responsibilities. We ask for your continued support for SPC, which will make every effort in 2024 based on coexistence with SPC members and a sense of mission as a global company.
