Didim 'Mapo Galmaegi' Expands to Middle East... Master Franchise Agreement with Pakistani Company

Didim's CEO Beomtaek Lee (third from the left) shaking hands with Tabarak Anwar, Head of Food and Beverage at M Anwar Bro (third from the right)

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] The dining company Didim's Mapo Galmaegi is expanding into the Middle Eastern country of Pakistan.

Didim announced on the 22nd that it signed a master franchise agreement with the local Pakistani company M Anwar Bro at Didim headquarters the day before, initiating its entry into the Middle Eastern market.

M Anwar Bro, which signed the master franchise agreement, is an importer that exclusively supplies Korean and Japanese automobile parts locally and owns subsidiaries related to construction and computers.

Recently, in an effort to expand its business scope, the company turned its attention to the food and beverage industry. As Korean cuisine emerged as the next-generation food trend, after discussions with Didim since last year, they finalized the master franchise agreement.

With this agreement, Didim's Mapo Galmaegi became the first meat-based dining franchise brand to enter Pakistan. The local partner operates branches not only in Pakistan but also in Dubai and Kuwait, and has networks in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Jordan, which is expected to greatly assist expansion into other Middle Eastern countries.

Mapo Galmaegi plans to open its first store in Pakistan in August and aims to open at least one store annually over the next four years. Particularly, due to religious dietary restrictions against pork, the menu will use beef instead of pork to target local consumers, promoting Korean-style BBQ in the Middle East.

A Didim representative said, “The entry of Mapo Galmaegi into Pakistan came after receiving a request locally, inspired by the successful store operations in Indonesia, which shares the Islamic cultural background.” He added, “Didim is already actively promoting Korean-style BBQ in overseas markets such as Southeast Asia, and we will do our best to showcase the excellence of Korean cuisine in the Middle Eastern market as well.”