Over 2 Years and More Than 1,500 Tests Before Brand Birth
Operating with the Belief That Good Ingredients Make Delicious Food
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] The chain store ‘Myeongdong Dak Twigim 1971,’ which is targeting consumers with Korea’s first herbal brine-aged chicken, is gaining popularity, with its third branch opening in Gwangju Metropolitan City after about a year and a half.
Cha Jae-hwan, head of the Honam regional headquarters of Myeongdong Dak Twigim, is also one of the factors driving popularity with his cool yet gentle image.
We looked into the reasons why ‘Myeongdong Dak Twigim 1971’ has maintained its presence and increased its chain stores in the chicken industry, where closures and openings occur almost daily.
Myeongdong Dak Twigim 1971 modernized the traditional ‘dak twigim’ (fried chicken), which involved frying raw chicken in cooking oil, a method that emerged in Korea in 1971 when cooking oil companies first appeared.
It is said that over 1,500 tests were conducted researching brining, sauces, and powders before the brand was born.
They introduced an ultra-fresh system that supplies fresh chicken within three days of slaughter (one day of aging) to stores nationwide every morning, differentiating themselves with a special sauce and so-called ‘low-sodium chicken’ with reduced sodium.
With the top priority belief that good ingredients make delicious food, they use fresh domestic vegetables and high-quality ingredients in their sauces and all products.
In particular, they are the first in Korea to brine chicken with herbal ingredients, using domestic herbal materials for daily brining and willingly choosing the hassle of aging for 20 hours, adding not only umami but also ‘health’ benefits.
According to Cha Jae-hwan, head of the Honam headquarters, the unique texture of Myeongdong Dak Twigim’s meat and the herbal flavor suited to the human body, which cannot be achieved with standardized seasoning, complete a natural taste that keeps people coming back instead of the unpleasantness of artificial seasonings.
The menu also shows signs of thoughtful differentiation.
In addition to the basic fried, seasoned, and dakgangjeong (sweet crispy chicken), representative items include ‘Joseon Seasoned Chicken’ with added smoky flavor and the ‘Gatong Set,’ a combination of cauldron chicken and fried chicken gizzards.
Regarding franchising, they proudly reduce the burden on prospective entrepreneurs by boldly waiving franchise fees (franchise fee, education fee, logistics deposit, and royalty).
Cha Jae-hwan, head of Myeongdong Dak Twigim 1971 Honam headquarters, said, “Various menus and reasonable prices seem to be popular with prospective entrepreneurs and consumers,” adding, “There may be consumers who have never tried it, but there is no one who has tried it only once. We want to approach with sincere heart and effort.”
Meanwhile, the Myeongdong Dak Twigim Cheomdan branch, which settled as the third store in Gwangju, had a soft opening on the 21st and will officially open from the 25th.
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