[2020 Asia Consumer Awards] 'Ashley Queens' Captivates Customers' Eyes and Taste Buds with 200 Menu Items

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[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] Ashley, the American grill and salad bar under E-Land's food service division, is a leading family restaurant in Korea that has been continuously loved since its launch in 2003. To differentiate from existing family restaurants, it has been operated in a salad bar format since 2005, and currently operates four types of stores?Classic, W, W+, and Queens?according to the characteristics of the commercial districts.

Ashley continues to grow by expanding services that satisfy customers, such as opening 'Ashley Queens,' which boasts 200 menu items to meet the rapidly changing and diverse demands of customers.

One of Ashley's strengths is implementing suggestions that come from its stores. Instead of the headquarters unilaterally deciding the menu, the voices of local store employees are reflected. Store staff, including managers, gather opinions and propose them to the product planning team, a staff organization, which then proceeds with menu development, sourcing materials, and preparing advertisements to launch the suggested menu.

While the average buffet offers 50 to 70 items, Ashley Queens boasts an overwhelmingly large menu with 200 items. It is a model that consolidates Ashley's menu development capabilities. Every store that reopens after renewal is literally a huge success. Most recently, Ashley Mia Sagori Branch was renewed and reopened as Ashley Queens in November last year, and since opening, it has grown by 94%. Ashley Queens opened six additional stores last year, totaling eight stores to date, and plans to expand to 30 stores this year.

Ashley contributes to increasing farmers' income through business agreements (MOUs) with local governments such as Gyeonggi Province and Cheonan City, while directly sourcing high-quality domestic ingredients to provide consumers with safe and fresh food. Especially for Korean buffet, which has a high proportion of seasonal agricultural products from various regions in Korea, Ashley plans to strengthen its ties with local farms even more in the future.

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