CJ Foodville

CJ Foodville operates as the food service subsidiary of South Korea's CJ Group, a major conglomerate. The company's origins trace back to 1994 when a food service department was established within CheilJedang (now CJ CheilJedang). This entity was officially spun off and launched as 'Foodville' in 2000, later rebranding to CJ Foodville in 2002 to align with its parent group. The business model is centered on operating and franchising a portfolio of restaurant and bakery brands, generating revenue through direct sales at company-owned stores and franchise fees.

The company's portfolio includes the steak and salad bar VIPS, launched in 1997, and the prominent bakery café chain, Tous les Jours. Tous les Jours, established in 1997, serves a wide selection of French-Asian inspired baked goods, cakes, sandwiches, and beverages across more than 1,650 locations worldwide. While the dining division, including brands like VIPS and The Place, has shown strong performance with an 86.7% jump in operating profit in 2023, the primary driver of growth and profitability has been the overseas expansion of Tous les Jours.

Financially, CJ Foodville has demonstrated a significant turnaround, achieving its highest-ever operating profit of 45.3 billion won in 2023 on consolidated sales of 844.7 billion won. This marked the third consecutive year of surplus since returning to profitability in 2021. A substantial portion of this profit, around 60%, was generated by its overseas operations, particularly in the United States, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The U.S. subsidiary, established in 2004, has been a standout performer, turning profitable in 2018 and recording a 179% year-on-year surge in operating profit in 2023. To support this growth, CJ Foodville is investing over $47 million to construct a 90,000-square-meter production facility in Gainesville, Georgia, slated for completion in 2025. This plant will have an annual capacity exceeding 100 million products, serving as a production hub for the North American market, where the company aims to have 1,000 Tous les Jours stores by 2030.

Keywords: food service, bakery franchise, restaurant chain, CJ Group subsidiary, Tous les Jours, VIPS, global expansion, K-Bakery, Korean food, food and beverage, franchise management, North American expansion, Asian food market, steakhouse, café-style bakery, foodservice operations, international franchising, frozen bakery products, culinary brands, food processing