CJ Foodville, the operator of the South Korean bakery chain Tous Les Jours, said Monday it plans to establish a training center in the US aimed at enhancing the service and operational expertise of its local franchisees there.

This initiative comes as CJ Foodville has recently experienced an increasing number of inquiries from Americans interested in operating Tous Les Jours franchise outlets in the US, the company added.

According to CJ Foodville, contracts for new franchise openings have already surpassed the company's objectives for this year, reaching double digits, and the company is now in the process of proceeding with contracts for additional franchise locations for the next year.

The exact number of contracts was not disclosed due to confidentiality issues.

Launched in the US in 2004, CJ Foodville exceeded 110 local stores in 2023 from 64 in 2020. These stores are located across 26 states, including prominent areas like Los Angeles, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

The training center will be situated in California, where CJ Foodville's US corporate office is located.

"Along with the new training center, CJ Foodville places a high priority on maintaining consistent taste and service quality across its franchise locations in the US," said a CJ Foodville official, expressing confidence in leveraging over 28 years of operational expertise from Korea in developing the training system.

The training program will cover product production, sales strategy, and business operation expertise, focusing on cakes, bread, sandwiches, and other bakery items, the official added.

CJ Foodville's US operations turned profitable in 2018 and have maintained profitability for six consecutive years. In 2023, the company's US sales surpassed 100 billion won ($73.9 million), representing a 38 percent increase compared to the previous year.

In addition, CJ Foodville plans to establish a new factory in the state of Georgia capable of producing over 100 million frozen dough and cakes per year. The construction, slated to begin this year, is expected to be completed by 2025.

CJ Foodville currently operates more than 400 Tous Les Jours branches across seven countries, including Canada, China, Indonesia, Mongolia and Vietnam, in addition to its presence in the US.