SPC Group Opens Shake Shack and Eggslut Simultaneously... "Crowds Lining Up Even on Rainy Days"

Introduction of US Leading Fine Casual Brands East 'Shake Shack' and West 'Eggslut' Double-Headed Strategy
Eggslut's First Store Opens at COEX Seoul on the 10th, Shake Shack's 13th Store Opens in Daegu Dongseong-ro
Simultaneous Acquisition of Singapore Business Rights, "Leading the Fine Casual Trend in the Food Service Industry"

Eggslut's first store in Korea, located in COEX, Seoul. On the 10th, customers are lined up waiting to enter.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] SPC Group simultaneously opened the fine-casual brands representing the East and West coasts of the United States, Shake Shack and Eggslut, on the 10th.

SPC Group introduced the first domestic store of Eggslut, a famous sandwich brand from California, at the Millennium Plaza in COEX Mall, Samseong-dong. On the day of the opening, the first customer arrived at 6 a.m., and even before the official opening time of 10 a.m., about 300 customers were already lined up, showing great popularity.

Eggslut is a fine-casual brand that elevates egg sandwiches to an art form by showcasing the "slow aesthetics" using eggs and premium ingredients, created by a chef with a fine dining background. It operates stores in the United States, the United Kingdom, Kuwait, and Japan.

On the same day, Shake Shack’s 13th store, "Daegu Dongseong-ro Branch," also opened successfully. The Shake Shack Daegu Dongseong-ro Branch was inspired by the Pompidou Center, one of Paris’s three major art museums, and designed with an "Inside-out" concept. It introduced the signature dessert "Dalgona Daegu," which sweetly combines Daegu’s famous chewy honey rice cakes and crunchy dalgona with vanilla custard.

Shake Shack, a premium burger brand that started in New York in 2001, operates stores in 14 major countries worldwide, including the UK, Japan, and the UAE. In Korea, SPC Group holds an exclusive operating contract and has attracted crowds waiting to enter every time a new store opens since the first store opened in July 2016 in Gangnam, Seoul.

Shake Shack and Eggslut installed "contactless facial recognition fever checkers" that automatically check the temperature and mask-wearing status of all customers entering the stores. Transparent partitions were installed on shared tables to allow customers to use the stores with greater peace of mind amid COVID-19. Additionally, a smart hand washing system called "SMIXIN (Smart-mixing-inside)" was installed inside the stores, which automatically dispenses soap, clean water, and paper towels in sequence when hands are placed under the sensor, enabling customers to maintain hygiene conveniently and safely.

Shake Shack's 13th branch opened in Dongseong-ro, Daegu. On the 10th, customers lined up waiting to enter.

An SPC Group official said, "It is very meaningful to open the 13th Shake Shack store and the first Eggslut store simultaneously, which opened the door to the domestic fine-casual market. We will lead the fine-casual market in the food service industry based on Shake Shack and Eggslut."

Meanwhile, Shake Shack and Eggslut are brands that apply the fine-casual concept, combining the quality and service of top-tier restaurants with the reasonable prices and convenience of fast-casual dining. Shake Shack started as a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park, and Eggslut began as a food truck in the LA area. Both started small but gained explosive popularity through word of mouth due to their meticulous ingredients, recipes, and attentive service.

Both companies prioritized product quality for their entry into Korea and chose SPC Group as the optimal partner capable of faithfully reproducing the local authentic flavors. SPC Group, with over 70 years of baking expertise, was recognized for its capability by directly producing and supplying the buns for Shake Shack and Eggslut.

The introduction of Shake Shack and Eggslut is known to be based on the dedicated efforts of former SPC Group Vice President Heo Hee-soo, who personally traveled back and forth to the U.S. for several years to finalize the contracts.

Building on successful operations and capabilities in Korea, SPC Group also acquired the operating rights for Shake Shack and Eggslut in Singapore. Currently, two Shake Shack stores operate in Singapore, and the first Eggslut store is planned to open next year. Furthermore, SPC Group plans to strengthen customer service by conducting various marketing activities using its integrated membership service, Happy Point, for Shake Shack and Eggslut operations.