South Korean coffee chain A Twosome Place is preparing to enter the US market next month, carrying its signature strawberry cake — topped with fresh strawberries and filled with whipped cream and crunchy chocolate balls — into the world's largest food service market. The dessert-coffee chain is betting that its distinctive cakes will resonate with American consumers.

The move comes as Korean food and beverage brands have been expanding their US footprint in recent years, with bakery-cafe chains such as Paris Baguette and Tous les Jours — both also owned by major Korean food groups — already operating hundreds of US locations and building consumer familiarity with Korean-style bakery cafes. A Twosome Place, which marks its 25th anniversary this year and operates several hundred stores in Korea, would enter a US cafe market long dominated by Starbucks and other established American chains.

Announcing the company's first major overseas push, CEO Moon Young-ju said Thursday that the first US store will open on King Street in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, with plans to expand across the wider Washington metropolitan area.

"We aim to introduce our distinctive 'K-pairing' experience as a new cafe culture in the US," Moon said at a press conference held at the Conrad Seoul Hotel, referring to the company's concept of pairing coffee with desserts.

The centerpiece of the dessert menu will be the signature strawberry chocolate whip cake. The company hopes its lighter, less-sweet whipped cream cakes topped with fresh fruit will stand apart from the denser, buttercream-heavy cakes commonly offered in the US.

A Twosome Place also plans to adapt its format to American dining habits through what it calls an "all-day cafe" strategy. To meet stronger early-morning demand in the US, the Alexandria store is expected to open as early as 5 or 6 a.m. Beyond coffee and desserts, the menu will offer breakfast along with light lunch and dinner options.

Korean-inspired dishes such as K-toast and bulgogi bibimbap bowls will appear on the menu, alongside desserts featuring flavors such as dalgona, black sesame and injeolmi — a rice cake coated in roasted soybean powder.

The Alexandria store will measure 241 square meters with 78 seats and will be operated directly by the company in order to ensure quality and build brand awareness in the US market. Prices are expected to run 10 to 20 percent higher than in Korea due to higher labor and operating costs in the US.

"We are not entering the US to compete with other Korean bakery chains," Moon said. "Our goal is to take on established US cafe brands and show what A Twosome Place has built over the past 25 years."