Challenges of Restaurants in the 'With Corona' Era... Matna Gamjatang's 'Quarantine Story'

18-Year History, 80 Domestic and International Franchise Stores of 'Matna' Establish New COVID-19 Prevention Service
Eco-Friendly Full-Body Disinfectant, Fever Detector, Table Dividers, Personal Side Dish Containers, UV Cutlery Holders...
Founder Le

Matnagamjatang Busan Hwamyung Branch. A tunnel-type full-body sterilizer is installed at the store entrance, spraying disinfectant water every time visitors enter and exit to eliminate virus contaminants.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yong-woo] On the afternoon of the 17th at 5 PM, a newly opened restaurant in Daeyeon-dong, Nam-gu, Busan, attracted many people's attention.

Given the timing during the 'COVID-19 social distancing' period, when new restaurant openings might be overlooked, the unusual scene at the restaurant entrance caught the eye.

Climbing the stairs to the second-floor store, the first thing that grabs attention is the 'walking-through' system installed at the entrance.

It was a full-body sterilizer. Every time a customer entered or exited, eco-friendly disinfectant water was sprayed out like a whitish steam.

Like a car after a 'tunnel car wash,' the feeling of having the entire body of the entering customer thoroughly disinfected made their steps toward the store noticeably lighter.

The sprayed disinfectant seemed to wipe away all the 'contaminants' surrounding the body, providing comfort. Being comforted by such small-scale disinfection is because people have long been oppressed by the overwhelming power of the virus, making it easy to forget that we are living in the 'COVID-19 era.'

The sensor attached to the sterilizer detected the height of adults and children. When a shorter person passed through, only the two lower nozzles operated, while for taller individuals, all four nozzles sprayed the disinfectant water.

Matnagamjatang Busan Daeyeon Branch. When entering the store, a facial recognition fever check device operates and displays the measured temperature on a monitor.

Inside the store, a 'fever check' monitor awaited. It is a device that recognizes the face and measures body temperature. The temperature measured for each entering customer immediately appeared on the monitor. Customers with a high fever must stop here.

After passing through these two 'checkpoints,' customers sat at their tables. Transparent partitions were installed between tables. These partitions serve the role of blocking the 'breath' exhaled by neighboring customers.

The utensil holder on the table also bore a label reading 'ultraviolet sterilization.' After lifting the cover to take out the spoons and chopsticks, closing it again activates ultraviolet light to sterilize the utensils.

The store's disinfection did not end there. Each table was equipped with a spray bottle containing 'sterilizing water' that captures viruses.

Side dishes were served in individual containers for each person to scoop from. Since multiple people do not have to share chopsticks to pick side dishes, the risk of infection is reduced accordingly.

Individual side dish plates. Multiple people do not need to dig in with chopsticks, which can prevent disease transmission.

The systems in this restaurant demonstrate that the era when restaurants had to precariously increase sales by shifting 'self-disinfection' responsibilities onto customers while facing the 'With COVID' era is already over.

The systems encountered at this newly opened restaurant belong to 'Matna Gamjatang,' a franchise brand with over 80 stores nationwide.

Lee Kyung-seop (60), CEO of the headquarters 'Livega Food,' which created the Matna Gamjatang brand, bluntly stated, "Nothing has changed in the 18-year history of 'Matna' regarding red pepper powder, ingredients, food taste, and side dishes."

Since the food recipes and quality remain the same, what has changed over those long years is only the service for store visitors.

CEO Lee said he has been preparing for the 'With COVID' era since the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Foreseeing the prolonged situation, he ran again to protect the 80 franchise stores and their owners, which he had developed through sweat over 18 years. He embarked on building a new restaurant disinfection system.

When stores are equipped with disinfection facilities and systems, the headquarters takes full responsibility for supplying consumables such as disinfectant liquids, which are continuously used up.

The headquarters decided to supply disinfectant liquid free of charge to stores nationwide in 18-liter barrels. If anyone worries about increasing store management costs during difficult times, they clearly do not understand CEO Lee at all.

CEO Lee considers the disinfectant liquid a service delivered to customers through spray-type misters and full-body sterilizers. It is not merely a consumable that causes costs but a helper for restaurants to ensure customers can enjoy their meals with peace of mind.

The more consumers trust the restaurant's disinfection system, the more they visit with confidence, and sales naturally increase.

CEO Lee personally sourced the raw materials for the disinfectant liquid. Since it is used in restaurants, he carefully selected from eco-friendly certified products. The raw materials are purchased and then mixed and processed at the production system established at the headquarters in Gyeryong, Chungnam, before being supplied to stores nationwide.

Investing even in disinfectant production facilities means he intends to operate the franchise permanently by continuously running the franchise store disinfection system.

The full-body sterilizer is not an off-the-shelf product but a system developed by the headquarters. The table partitions that block droplets were also designed by CEO Lee himself.

As CEO Lee said, nothing has been altered or upgraded in the taste of Matna Gamjatang, which is now 18 years old.

They have not changed the red pepper powder either. However, he developed and upgraded a technology that absorbs and processes metal shavings generated during the grinding process through a HACCP-certified three-stage process. This is also a service advancement considering consumer health.

What he has worked on in 18 years of food service management is customer service.

Customer service has evolved under his guidance, including the development of an alkaline water purification system, disposable eco-friendly paper spoon rests, and ultraviolet space sterilization systems in playrooms.

Among more than 80 overseas stores nationwide, the most recently opened is Matna Gamjatang in Daeyeon-dong, Busan. The quarantine system is fully equipped.

He self-assessed that this mindset has sustained the franchise stores with a zero closure rate for 18 years. Not being a well-funded large corporation, Matna Gamjatang has never closed any store except for 'relocations' or 'transfers.' Moreover, all 80+ stores are franchises.

CEO Lee shared two tips anyone can quickly understand about maintaining franchise stores, even if they are not industry insiders.

First, 'store profitability,' and second, 'trust.' Hearing these well-known principles from a successful franchise entrepreneur carries significant weight.

The equation became clear: franchises that merely talk about these basics but do not practice them or do not research and strive to implement them will fail.

CEO Lee strongly warned against attempts to view 'Matna' from the perspective of most franchisees who 'talk behind the back' about headquarters' greed and abuse, saying, "No franchisee ever curses me."

Matna's challenge has also faced setbacks. Although not a failure yet, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a halt.

Despite having headquarters and factories in Chungcheong Province, 60-70% of stores in the Yeongnam region, 25 stores outside Yeongnam, and three overseas stores in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, there is no 'Matna' in Seoul.

In the food service industry, it is basic to seek out places with many mouths to feed. Matna had even planned to open a store in Guro-dong, Seoul, by the end of last year but had to stop this plan this year.

They encountered the unexpected obstacle of COVID-19. Facing this formidable enemy of humanity, CEO Lee had to temporarily set aside his dream of entering the capital city.

Instead, he is concentrating his energy on creating a new safety culture in restaurants that leads the 'post-COVID era.'

"A stronger virus may come. Even if vaccines are developed, other viruses may emerge. This is why we must prepare for the 'With COVID' era."

CEO Lee's mindset, philosophy, attitude, and stubbornness related to food become clear if you pay a little attention while visiting a 'Matna' store.

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