[Distribution Hot People] The Secret to bhc Chicken's Success: "5x Growth Thanks to Staying True to Basic Principles"

Oh Jung-seok, Owner of bhc Beomgye Branch.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] "There is no special secret. Like other stores, we faithfully follow the basic principles of making delicious chicken according to the manual and thoroughly managing QCS (Quality Clean Service) such as cleanliness. If there is a secret, it would be adhering to the store's business hours, which is a promise to our customers."

As of last October, Beomgye Branch, which ranked in the top 10 in sales among all bhc Chicken stores, has attracted attention. Oh Jung-seok (33), the owner of bhc Chicken Beomgye Branch, which has emerged as a popular chicken spot on Beomgye Station Rodeo Street, bluntly stated that the secret to high sales and popularity lies in strictly adhering to store operation principles.

He cited strict observance of business hours as the number one principle of store management. "Our store is the only chicken place on this Rodeo Street that opens at 12 noon. If we do just as others do, the profits will be similar. To get ahead, you have to be more than twice as diligent as others."

Next, he explained that setting principles such as store cleanliness management and friendly customer service, and creating a consensus with employees to practice these, is essential. The Rodeo Street where Beomgye Branch is located is a place with a large flow of young people, including nearby office workers and university students, until dawn. Through thorough commercial area analysis, Oh was confident that there was consumer demand at lunch and late-night hours, and by always opening and closing at the same time, he built trust with customers. This commercial area analysis was a conclusion he reached through direct experience, such as operating a nearby pojangmacha (street food tent) for a year before opening the bhc Chicken store.

After graduating from university, he worked in a regular job for four years. However, he had long thought about starting a business and believed that starting young was an investment in the future, so he left his smooth career and jumped into the startup market. While running his first business, a pojangmacha, for a year, he attempted to switch to a long-term and stable item less affected by economic fluctuations. As a chicken lover, Oh focused on chicken, the most popular delivery food item, and when the opportunity arose to acquire the nearby bhc Chicken Beomgye Branch, he did not hesitate and took over the store in June 2017.

At 29 years old, a young man challenging the fiercely competitive chicken startup market, he was confident with his firsthand commercial area analysis, bhc Chicken’s strong brand power, and experience in restaurant management, but he recalls that the early days of the business were somewhat difficult. "At the beginning, since it was my first chicken store, I started by referring to the previous owner’s business method, which was mostly dine-in. The operating hours were short and delivery orders were few, so sales did not increase as expected. I realized this wouldn’t work, so I decided to maximize the synergy between dine-in and delivery and strengthened delivery through apps."

This effort led to increased sales. The daily order count grew from 10 at opening to 100 now, and monthly sales, which were around 30 million KRW at acquisition, have grown more than fivefold.

He emphasizes that besides the franchisee’s efforts, support from the headquarters is crucial for sales growth. "bhc Chicken’s strength lies in its unique taste that no one can imitate. With various chicken menus including Bburinkle and the combo series released this year, many people love and praise bhc Chicken. Thanks to the headquarters’ full support in marketing and promotion, customers come on their own without us having to do direct marketing."

Having experienced the joy of small success, he always holds a grateful heart and aims to grow together with bhc Chicken for a long time. "Rather than having grand dreams, I want to keep my sincerity as I do now and keep the promises made to customers. I will repay customers with even more delicious chicken."