Founded in Japan in 1999, Beard Papa’s isn’t a new brand per se, but it’s new to many U.S. markets. Opening its first location in the states in 2004, Beard Papa’s is determined to become a household name in the U.S. after taking over Japan and China.
“When people think of cream puffs in Japan, they think of Beard Papa’s,” said Muginoho Japan’s director of international development, Akira Okura.
Muginoho Japan is an operator of sweet shops across Japan and the franchisor for Beard Papa’s American units.
The concept was inspired by the waste at bakeries. Founder Yuji Hirota saw the waste from baked goods and decided to focus on one of the top-selling items: cream puffs, strawberry shortcakes, or cheesecake.
He had a personal connection to cream puffs since his grandfather used to buy him cream puffs when he was young.
Hirota was known in Osaka, Japan, for his fluffy white beard, hence the name Beard Papa’s.
The cream puffs are made with a double-layered shou pastry on the inside and a pie crust on the outside. They’re stuffed with cream as the customers place their order for optimum freshness.
The same recipe for the cream puffs has been used since the store opened over 20 years ago.
The traditional cream flavor is made with vanilla beans, hailing from the Black Diamond vanilla bean. It’s a very expensive bean, but “we still keep using it for the quality,” said Okura.
“If you bite it, you can see the black dots,” he said.
At Beard Papa’s, customers first choose from eight cream puff shells: original, chocolate, green tea, strawberry, honey butter, OREO cookie crumble, dulce de leche, and crispy almond.
Then guests choose the custard filling, with choices ranging from traditional vanilla to chocolate and green tea.
Cream puffs start at $3.75 for an original and minis start at $2 each. It’s $14 for a dozen. The menu also includes cheesecake, chocolate fondant and other pastries, as well as frozen custard drinks and boba tea.
Coming to the U.S. was always in the plan for Beard Papa’s and it started on the Upper West Side of New York City.
“It’s the center of the world,” said Okura.
Coming to the U.S. was “scary” but they were “confident in the success” of the brand, according to Okura.
There are 43 Beard Papa’s stores in the U.S. in New York, California, New Jersey, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Texas, and Washington, with a goal of 100 stores in the states soon. Worldwide there are over 400 Beard Papa’s.
