Alain Ducasse opens first Korean flagship and manufacture in Gangneung

Alain Ducasse Chocolat Paris opened its first Korean flagship store and a new manufacture in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, on Saturday.

The Gangneung facility uses couverture chocolate prepared at the French headquarters to carry out key production processes, including roasting, enrobing and molding. The facility holds HACCP certification.

Alain Ducasse Chocolat Paris operates a manufacture model that keeps production and retail closely linked at key locations. The approach is grounded in the brand's principle that chocolate quality is determined by how raw materials are handled and how the manufacturing process is managed.

The brand's Korean chocolate chefs completed training at the Paris manufacture. Chefs from the French headquarters were also sent to the Gangneung site to share manufacturing processes and quality standards.

Founded in Paris in 2013, Alain Ducasse Chocolat Paris has positioned chocolate as a gastronomic experience shaped by cacao and artisanal craft. Every collection is managed under the brand's "cacao to tablet" standard, overseeing each step from cacao bean selection through production. Through skilled craftsmanship and precise processes, the brand expresses the flavors inherent in the cacao's origin and raw materials.

That approach connects to chef Alain Ducasse's culinary philosophy of honoring the essence of ingredients. Ducasse has built his career across restaurants, manufactures and education, with ingredients, technique and experience at the center of his work.

"Korea is a market with a discerning and sophisticated food culture," Ducasse said. "I hope Korean customers can experience the value of cacao and craftsmanship through the Gangneung store."

Kim Eui-yeol, chief executive of Haksan, the brand's Korean partner, said the launch marks "the first step in introducing Alain Ducasse Chocolat Paris's manufacturing standards and artisanal spirit to Korea." He added that the company would build on the Gangneung manufacture to offer Korean customers a variety of ways to experience the brand's chocolate.