New Burger Products in Collaboration with Netflix's "Heukbaek Yorisajang" Chef Selling Out Rapidly

The domestic burger market has recently experienced a rare boom. New products created in collaboration with chefs from the Netflix cooking show "Heukbaek Yorisajang" are flying off the shelves.

Despite their high prices, these burgers are selling out, prompting some franchise headquarters to urgently import key ingredients by air. In a burger market without a clear dominant player, brands have benefited significantly from the "Heukbaek Yorisajang" effect.

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According to the food service industry on the 25th, LotteRia, operated by Lotte GRS, airlifted mozzarella cheese, the key ingredient for the "Napoli Matpia Mozzarella Burger" developed in collaboration with Chef Kwon Sungjun.

Previously, LotteRia launched the Napoli Matpia Burger, co-developed with Chef Kwon, who is well known as the winner of "Heukbaek Yorisajang," on the 16th of last month. Over about 40 days until the 23rd, more than 2 million units were sold?twice the targeted sales volume.

Lotteria New Menu 'Napolimatpia Mozzarella Burger'. Lotte GRS

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This burger sold much faster than expected, causing problems with the supply of the main ingredient, the "Mozza Brioche Bun." The stock LotteRia had secured in advance could not keep up with the explosive demand. All initial stock was depleted within a month of launch, and the sold-out situation lasted for a week. A LotteRia representative explained, "We airlifted the mozzarella cheese patty, the main ingredient of this burger," and added, "We resumed sales of the Napoli Matpia Mozzarella Burger from the 21st."

The Napoli Matpia Mozzarella Burger uses a Mozza Brioche Bun, which incorporates mozzarella and cheddar cheese directly into the bun, instead of the usual sesame or brioche buns. The sauce also uses ingredients like basil and tomato, which are staples in Italian cuisine. Because of this, the Mozzarella Burger is credited with elevating LotteRia's burger quality to a premium level.

Moms Touch and SPC's Shake Shack have also released burger products in collaboration with famous chefs. Moms Touch teamed up with Edward Lee, the runner-up on "Heukbaek Yorisajang," while Shake Shack collaborated with Chef Oh Juntak. Moms Touch created a beef burger and a chicken burger (Cy Burger) featuring a special bacon jam. Since sales began on the 18th, stores selling the beef and chicken burgers have seen a 61% increase in daily average sales compared to the previous week. During the "Super Early Bird" pre-sale event on the 5th, reservations sold out within 30 minutes of opening.

Chef Edward Lee is posing at the photo event commemorating the launch of the new collaborative menu "Chef Edward Lee Collection 3 Types" between Mom's Touch and Edward Lee, held on the morning of the 21st of last month at the Shilla Hotel Yeongbingwan in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

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The Moms Touch headquarters provided pre-launch training and quality checks for the new menu, using recipes developed directly by Edward Lee, to all franchisees. Only 320 out of approximately 1,450 stores nationwide, those that passed the test, began selling the burgers. The remaining stores plan to launch the products sequentially by the 6th of next month. The number of stores currently selling the burgers has increased to around 500.

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Shake Shack's chicken burgers, "Lime Chili Tak" and "Basil Pesto Tak," created in collaboration with Chef Oh Juntak of Namyeong Tak, feature tender chicken patties cooked using the sous vide method. In the week following their launch on the 18th, sales were three times higher than chicken burger sales during the same period last year. These products will be available for a limited time until April.

The domestic burger market has experienced explosive growth since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to global market research firm Euromonitor, the domestic burger market grew from about 3 trillion won in 2020 to about 5 trillion won in 2023. However, competition has intensified with the entry of foreign brands. In addition to established brands like LotteRia, McDonald's, and Burger King, international brands such as Shake Shack, Five Guys, Gordon Ramsay Burger, and Super Duper have joined the fray.

However, there is still no clear market leader. As a result, burger brands are launching new products in collaboration with famous chefs to capture consumers' tastes. Industry insiders explained, "Since consumer loyalty to burger brands is low, collaborations with well-known chefs are an effective strategy to attract the attention of younger consumers in their 20s and 30s."