The number of overseas restaurants, bakeries and cafeterias run by South Korean companies jumped 25 percent on-year in 2015 on their efforts to expand overseas business coupled with the so-called Korean Wave, government data showed Tuesday.

A total of 138 firms operated 4,656 stores in 44 countries as of end-2015, up 3,726 tallied a year ago, according to data by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Delimanjoo Bakery, which sells custard-filled cakes, had the widest business network with 779 shops, followed by Caffe Bene coffee shops with 721 and Red Mango, a frozen yogurt chain, with 388.

By country, there were 1,814 Korea-brand shops in China and 1,444 in the Unites States, while Vietnam and the Philippines had 292 and 195, respectively.

"Businesses like bakeries, coffee shops and dessert cafes will lead the overseas expansion of South Korean food companies," said the ministry in a release. "Asian countries including China will be the most favored destinations." (Yonhap)