Japanese bakery firm to set up shop in Denmark

(2008.03.31)

Andersen Bakery, which has achieved success in Japan with a Danish-style bakery concept - is now exporting the idea and opening a shop in the capital city of its 'spiritual homeland'

From May this year, Copenhageners will be able to go into a newly opened bakers shop in the Danish capital and buy a Danish pastry, reports Berlingske. As a piece of news it sounds absolutely devoid of interest, until one discovers that the bakery firm - Andersen Bakery - is in fact Japanese, and this is its first foray into the Danish market.

The story behind it stretches back to the late 1950s, when the Japanese baker Shunsuke Takaki came to Denmark to look at automated bread-baking equipment, and returned home with the very different idea of opening Danish-style bakeries selling typically Danish specialities.

Shunsuke Tataki's concept caught on in Japan, and today Andersen Bakery has 75 bakers shops, nine bread factories and hundreds of cafés. It is part of Japan's largest bakery group with revenues equivalent to DKK 3bn. Now things have come round full circle, with Andersen Bakery exporting the concept back to its 'spiritual homeland'.

The Danish Bakery and Confectionery Association is happy to see the Japanese enterprise setting up business. Communications chief Anders Grabow told Berlingske: "We don't see them as competition, and they have already become members of our organisation. One could say that the more bakers there are making quality products, the better it is for our industry."

"Factors like the taste experience, quality and craftsmanship distinguish Danish bakeries from the many other places selling bread, and [Andersen Bakery] can add to that distinction," says Grabow.

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last updated: 2008.03.27