Magnolia Is Basically Planning to Take Over the Planet

Although you could be forgiven for thinking that Magnolia Bakery had already achieved world domination, its reach extends only to New York, Los Angeles, and Dubai. But that’s about to change.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the bakery received state approval this week to sell franchises, and is targeting locations in India, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, and Doha, Qatar, among other places. Closer to home, it’s planning to expand to Chicago and the New York Bloomingdale’s, and to set up online ordering.

Magnolia owner Steve Abrams told the paper that the bakery is perceived as a luxury brand overseas, particularly in South America and the Far and Middle East. The latter is already home to the likes of Shake Shack, the Chocolate Bar, and IHOP, suggesting that “luxury” is on its way to becoming a euphemism for “waistline adipose tissue.”