[Distribution Hot People] BBQ Is a Brand Too Good to Have Just One, Thanks to Which They Became Building Owners

Annual Sales of 3.3 Billion KRW After Business Failure Through BBQ Startup... Operating 5 Stores with Family
Systematic Training System of Chicken University and Communication with Supervisors: 'BBQ Strengths'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] “The travel agency I operated for 13 years in Japan faced difficulties due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, making a stable business essential, so I chose BBQ. Thanks to the systematic system, I have become an entrepreneur generating annual sales of 3.3 billion KRW.”

Nam Seung-woo (52), a franchisee of the chicken franchise Genesis BBQ, started by acquiring the Beondong branch with monthly sales of about 15 million KRW and currently operates a total of five BBQ stores, with two more stores about to open. Before meeting BBQ, he was running a travel business in Japan but returned to Korea due to business difficulties after the earthquake and concerns about his family’s health. At that time, responsible for his elderly parents, wife, and three sons, he decided to start a food service business, which he had always been interested in, and recently became a building owner by purchasing a building worth about 1.1 billion KRW thanks to his successful BBQ startup.

◆A strong start with a systematic system and smooth communication= In 2012, franchisee Nam only thought about starting a business that would not fail. Without professional knowledge, he was at a loss about how to start a food service business.

He, who regularly enjoyed BBQ chicken with his three sons, learned about the franchise business through studying BBQ and thought that choosing a franchise with long experience and stable system support would prevent failure.

He said, “Thanks to BBQ’s systematic education and system, I was able to start the food service business immediately without professional knowledge or skills,” emphasizing, “Whenever there was a social crisis difficult for individual self-employed people to handle, the headquarters’ proactive response and support became the foundation of success.”

BBQ provides professional and systematic guidance and roadmaps through its own educational institution called Chicken University. Supervisors regularly visit stores to provide training on product manuals, hygiene management (QCS), store management, sales analysis, marketing, and trends in the food service market?covering all aspects necessary for store operation. They also serve as communication channels between each franchise and headquarters by collecting opinions from franchisees. Franchisee Nam said, “Thanks to the supervisors’ meticulous operational management and training, there were no difficulties in running a store for the first time,” and explained, “They also help with marketing and advertising through social network services (SNS) aligned with trends and drama product placements (PPL), so I could focus solely on operations.”

◆Enduring with COVID-19 and AI headquarters support= Having experienced a business failure once due to a natural disaster in Japan, franchisee Nam emphasized the importance of having a pillar of support.

Since starting BBQ, he has faced numerous crises such as avian influenza (AI), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and COVID-19, but thanks to headquarters’ support, proactive responses were possible, allowing him to get through without major damage.

He especially said that the recent COVID-19 pandemic was the biggest crisis he experienced in eight years of running stores. He said, “The headquarters’ proactive quarantine measures and mask support were a great help,” emphasizing, “Due to the nature of the food service industry, it is inevitably sensitive to various issues, and I am grateful to the headquarters for being a reliable pillar to trust and lean on in any crisis.”

The two stores about to open in Ssangmun-dong and Seokgwan-dong are BSK (BBQ Smart Kitchen) types?contactless delivery-specialized stores suited for the post-COVID era. Franchisee Nam said, “Since it is a business model that can be started with small capital and can yield quick returns on investment, I hope young people facing difficulties recently will take an interest in BSK.”

His first store, the Beondong branch, was recently recognized for its steady contribution to the local community and was designated as a ‘Beautiful Neighbor Our Neighborhood Sharing Store’ by the Seoul Welfare Foundation. His hope is to continue delivering 100 chickens monthly, totaling 1,200 chickens annually, to neighbors in need in cooperation with the district office, serving as a role model in the community.

Finally, he also expressed his intention to operate overseas stores. Franchisee Nam said, “Operating stores with my wife and three sons has grown into a family business, and I want to achieve the dream of 10 billion KRW in annual sales,” adding, “Furthermore, since the BBQ brand is achieving great success overseas, I want to take on the challenge of operating BBQ in the United States, the birthplace of franchising.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.