CJ Foodville is making a strong comeback in the food service industry, riding on the growing success of its bakery brand Tous les Jours and family restaurant chain VIPS. After years of financial difficulty, the company is now setting its sights on crossing the 1 trillion won ($679.8 million) revenue mark in 2025 - a milestone it last achieved in 2018.

The company reported consolidated sales of 909.2 billion won and operating profit of 55.6 billion won in 2024. Its renewed push into the “1 trillion won club” comes amid surging popularity of revamped VIPS locations and the rapid overseas expansion of Tous les Jours.

Recent VIPS openings in Seoul, including the Songpa Garden Five branch and Mokdong 41 Tower location, have drawn heavy weekend crowds with wait times often exceeding 30 minutes. The newly opened Magok One Grove branch even saw over 1,000 daily visitors on February 22nd, 2025.

But the primary growth engine lies overseas - particularly in the United States. CJ Foodville now operates around 560 Tous les Jours stores across nine countries, with 154 located in the United States. The company aims to open more than 80 new U.S. outlets in 2025 alone and expand the total to 1,000 by 2030. This means it plans to add over half of its 20-year U.S. footprint in just one year.

To support this expansion, CJ Foodville is constructing a new 90,000-square-meter manufacturing plant in Gainesville, Hall County, Georgia, which is scheduled for completion later this year. The facility will produce frozen dough, cakes, and baked goods for Tous les Jours franchisees across the United States.

The U.S. factory is also expected to help the company mitigate the impact of protectionist trade policies, including potential tariffs under President Donald Trump’s administration. CJ Foodville began planning the facility during the previous Biden administration, outpacing rivals in establishing a U.S.-based production foothold.

In parallel, the company has strengthened its logistics network. Starting in April 2025, CJ Foodville will operate a new central distribution center within the Atlanta logistics hub built by CJ Logistics, a CJ Group affiliate. This strategic move will give the company a comprehensive U.S. supply chain spanning the West, East, and Central regions.

Back at home, CJ Foodville is also investing in Tous les Jours by updating its brand identity for the first time in eight years. The new direction emphasizes premium bakery café experiences through both product and spatial innovation.

VIPS, the company’s second growth pillar, has undergone a transformation. While many family restaurant brands disappeared in the 2010s, VIPS held on and pivoted toward a more upscale strategy during the Covid-19 pandemic. CJ Foodville closed underperforming outlets and now operates 32 fully company-owned stores. With the return of social gatherings, VIPS has enhanced its menu with shareable steak dishes and seasonal offerings.

[ⓒ 매일경제 & mk.co.kr, 무단 전재, 재배포 및 AI학습 이용 금지]