Dessert 39

What Dessert 39 does

Dessert 39 (legal entity: SMC INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.) is a privately held Korean dessert and beverage franchise brand founded in 2014 and headquartered at 155 Bangbae Jungang-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul. The company operates under the trade name DESSERT 39 (디저트39) and is led by co-CEOs Minchang Shin and Hanna Choi. Its core proposition is a "Medi-Dessert" and "Care Food" positioning that targets diabetics, blood-sugar-conscious consumers, and broader health- and weight-management consumers with proprietary zero-sugar and zero-calorie recipes, alongside a mainstream dessert and specialty coffee menu. Customer segments are weighted toward health-conscious and diabetic consumer personas, with mainstream dessert enthusiasts as a secondary segment.

The company's underlying technology is a proprietary ultra-low temperature (-40°C) flash-freezing cold-chain preservation system that delivers a 12-month shelf life for finished products without artificial preservatives, paired with an in-house R&D pipeline that has registered over 130 products with Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety since 2015. This cold-chain architecture allows centralized production and direct distribution of finished products to franchise stores, eliminating the need for skilled pastry chefs at the store level. The technology stack is complemented by a proprietary DESSERT39 Smart Order mobile application (iOS and Android) for digital ordering, pickup, and loyalty rewards.

Dessert 39 generates revenue primarily through its franchise model, with 844+ stores across Korea and master franchise operations in the USA, Mongolia, and the Philippines. Additional revenue streams include branded merchandise (MD) sales (reusable tumblers, mugs, cups, keychains, candles, and other branded goods) and partnerships with major Korean delivery platforms for last-mile delivery. Pricing follows a unit-pricing model across beverages (₩2,900-₩6,300), desserts (₩1,000-₩19,800), bundles/sets (₩6,900-₩51,400), and merchandise (₩2,400-₩39,800). The company is the first eco-certified franchise brand in Korea and is publicly committed to carbon neutrality by 2027.

Name

Dessert 39

Legal name

SMC INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.

Website

https://dessert39.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dessert 39 is a Korean dessert and beverage franchise brand offering proprietary zero-sugar, low-calorie products for diabetics and health-conscious consumers. It operates 844+ stores domestically and is expanding internationally via master franchise agreements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dessert Café Franchise

NAICS

Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Frozen Cakes, Pies, and Other Pastries Manufacturing (311813)

SIC

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Vegan/Allergen-Free Dessert Shops (THAFAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE), Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAHAC)

Keywords

• Dessert cafe franchise
• Specialty coffee chain
• Zero-sugar desserts
• Cold chain logistics
• Eco-friendly tumblers

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Franchise Revenue (Store Sales): Dessert 39 operates as a franchise brand with 844+ stores nationwide in Korea and international operations in USA, Mongolia, and Philippines. Revenue is generated from franchisee store sales of desserts, beverages, and merchandise. Franchise partners receive products directly from the company's centralized production and cold-chain distribution system.
2. Merchandise (MD Products) Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including reusable tumblers, mugs, cups, candles, keychains, camping plates, and other branded goods. Products are available at stores and through promotional discount programs tied to customer purchase thresholds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Dessert 39 operates a Korean dessert and specialty coffee franchise brand that sells zero-sugar, low-calorie desserts and beverages through 844+ franchise stores in Korea and master franchise operations internationally. Its core product lines include a broad dessert menu (omelets, donuts, Tokyo rolls, croissants, tiramisu, cakes), a beverage menu (lattes, cold brew, smoothies, iced teas, zero-calorie drinks), and eco-friendly branded merchandise such as reusable tumblers. The franchise system is enabled by a proprietary -40°C ultra-low temperature cold-chain preservation technology that allows finished products to be centrally manufactured with a 12-month shelf life and shipped to franchise stores without requiring skilled pastry chefs.

Product overview

DESSERT39 is a Korean dessert and beverage franchise brand offering a unified concept of 'World Dessert Cafe.' The portfolio centers on the Smart Order App for digital ordering, complemented by an extensive desserts lineup (omelets, donuts, choux, Tokyo rolls, cakes, tiramisu) and beverages (specialty coffees, lattes, smoothies, zero-calorie drinks). The company also operates a merchandise division (MD products) featuring eco-friendly reusable tumblers in multiple series (39Bunny, Matte Studded, Gradient), cups, and branded accessories. The franchise system enables global expansion with training, localization, and operational support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DESSERT39 Desserts Wide range of finished desserts including omelets, donuts, cookie choux, croquant choux, pies, croissants, Tokyo rolls, tiramisu, cakes, and strawberry bucket cakes, sold at DESSERT39 franchise stores for individual consumer purchase.
• DESSERT39 Beverages Coffee and specialty beverages including Americanos, signature cream lattes, cold brew, vanilla lattes, ube lattes, smoothies, catechin green tea lattes, zero-calorie iced teas, and low-calorie chocolate and taro lattes, sold in multiple sizes from 220ml to 1L for individual consumer purchase.
• DESSERT39 Smart Order App Proprietary mobile application for iOS and Android that lets customers order desserts and beverages for pickup, access member benefits and rewards, and receive eco-friendly bring-your-own-cup discount incentives.
• MD Tumbler Eco-friendly reusable tumblers in multiple design series including 39Bunny, Matte Studded, Gradient, and stainless steel functional options, made from 100% recycled materials, sold at stores and through promotional discount programs tied to purchase thresholds.
• MD Cup and Mug Reusable cups and mugs including the Emerald Black Mug Tumbler, Big-Eyed Mug, and 850ml large glass cups, sold at stores as branded merchandise.
• MD Branded Accessories Branded accessories including cup holder doll keychains, padding holders, tumbler cleaning brushes, stainless steel straws, candles, picnic plates, and decoration picks, sold at stores.
• DESSERT39 Master Franchise System Master franchise and exclusive country operations package for international partners, including HQ training, pre-opening support, menu localization, brand guidelines, and operational know-how transfer for opening DESSERT39 stores outside Korea.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,641,956 disposable cups prevented from use through eco-friendly reusable tumblers (2019–present)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Urban OilfieldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned MOU with Urban Oilfield in 2022 for environmental collaboration as part of Dessert 39's commitment to sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ediya Coffee: Largest coffee franchise chain in Korea by store count, focused on specialty coffee. Directly competes with Dessert 39 in franchise-driven cafe category and is comparable in store-economics and franchise model mechanics.
• Hollys Coffee: Major Korean coffee and dessert cafe franchise with international stores. Competes with Dessert 39 in the broader Korean specialty cafe and dessert segment, with similar franchise structure and target demographic.
• Paris Croissant: SPC Group's premium bakery-cafe brand targeting the same premium-dessert customer segment as Dessert 39. Directly competitive in Korean dessert-cafe category.
• Paris Baguette: Operated by SPC Group, Paris Baguette is the largest bakery-cafe franchise in South Korea with thousands of stores and international presence. It directly competes with Dessert 39 in the Korean dessert-cafe category, serving similar bakery, dessert, and coffee offerings.
• A Twosome Place: Major Korean premium dessert-cafe chain operated by CJ Group, serving coffee, cakes, and desserts across 1,000+ stores. Directly comparable in customer demographic, product mix, and franchise positioning to Dessert 39.
• Sulbing: Korean dessert franchise specializing in bingsu (shaved ice) and seasonal dessert offerings with significant international footprint across Asia. Comparable to Dessert 39 as a Korean dessert-specialty franchise pursuing overseas expansion.
• Baskin-Robbins Korea: Dominant ice cream and frozen dessert franchise in Korea. Comparable to Dessert 39 in the frozen dessert and dessert-cafe category, with similar franchise unit-economics and brand-driven consumer acquisition.
• Caffe Bene: Korean specialty coffee and dessert cafe franchise with international presence (notably US). Comparable to Dessert 39 in franchise-based specialty cafe operations and overseas expansion patterns.
• Tous Les Jours: CJ Freshway-owned Korean bakery-cafe franchise with hundreds of stores domestically and expanding into North America. Directly competes with Dessert 39 in the premium dessert-cafe and K-dessert category, with overlapping menu (cakes, bread, coffee) and franchise model.

Emerging players

• Softree (Beagle Space): Korean premium dessert brand known for premium tteok (rice cake) and dessert offerings. Comparable to Dessert 39 in the Korean premium-dessert segment and in pursuing "small luxury" consumer positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0ykSSGK7ik4_qIlyA-jpcg
• Facebookfacebook.com/dessert39
• Instagraminstagram.com/dessert39_official
• TikToktiktok.com/@dessert39_?
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dessert-39

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dessert 39