The franchise network Lviv Croissants, already operating in Europe and the USA, has entered the Asian market for the first time with the opening of a location in Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
“Entering a new market—no matter how different it is from the Ukrainian one—requires thorough research and maximum preparation,” says Andriy Halytskyi, founder and co-owner of Lviv Croissants. “But with Korea, there were many aspects we didn’t initially understand because it's a completely different culture. For example, tipping is not customary there and can even be taken as offensive. But that didn’t stop us. First, our partners helped us navigate all the nuances, and second, our goal as an international chain is to be present on every continent, in every corner of the world.”
The Lviv Croissants location is situated in a newly built shopping center in Seoul’s business district. In addition to restaurants, the complex includes the city’s first IKEA, showrooms, a spa, a gym, and residential apartments starting from the fourth floor. The café itself occupies 115 square meters and will feature a summer terrace in the future.
As a franchise, the entire investment was covered by Lviv Croissants’ partners—Korean entrepreneurs with prior experience in managing food service establishments. They assisted the Ukrainian team in navigating Korean legislation, regulatory standards, cultural differences, and local consumer needs.
“I first tried Lviv Croissants in 2022 in Wrocław,” shared one of the franchisees. “I sampled several croissant sandwiches and fell in love with them from the first bite. In the spring of 2023, I visited Kyiv and stopped by Lviv Croissants again. I was deeply moved when I tasted the same amazing flavor I had experienced in Poland. That’s when I learned the brand was a franchise and decided to return to Poland—this time with experts in baking, strategic planning, and beverages. We visited nearly every bakery chain to assess the business potential. Everyone agreed that this brand needed to come to Korea as soon as possible. After that, I contacted the central office in Lviv, and that’s how the journey of launching Lviv Croissants in Korea began.”
To adapt the menu and source local ingredients, Lviv Croissants’ brand chefs went on a culinary tour of Korea and conducted several food tastings. It turned out that Koreans preferred the signature croissant recipes that are already hits in Ukraine, Europe, and the US. However, the drinks menu was almost entirely redesigned to suit Korean tastes and was developed in collaboration with the franchisees.
Croissant production has been outsourced for now. Suppliers were found for all ingredients, production was set up, and the recipe and processes were adapted to local conditions. All filling ingredients will be purchased or produced in Korea according to Lviv Croissants’ standards.
Preparation for the Seoul opening took about a year. Under the franchise agreement, Lviv Croissants’ central office provided support with menu development and recipe standardization, accounting system setup, and marketing assistance.
