Sulbing, Countdown to Re-entry into Tokyo, Japan

At 10 a.m. on the 22nd, Sulbing signed a new master franchise agreement with J&K for Japan at the Sulbing Seokchonhosu Dongho branch. The photo shows (from left) Kim Ki-su, Executive Director of Sulbing, Jo Gyu-hyo, Director of the Overseas Business Department, Jo Jae-guk, CEO of J&K, and Jo Jae-hyo, Director, who participated in the signing ceremony. Photo by XXX

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] Sulbing announced on the 22nd that it has signed a new master franchise agreement with J&K Co., Ltd., a Japanese dining franchise and management consulting specialist company, and will simultaneously open two Sulbing stores in Tokyo, Japan, in February next year.

Previously, Sulbing officially entered the Japanese market starting with its first store, Sulbing Harajuku, in Tokyo in June 2016, opening six stores including Fukuoka Tenjin and Sendai, receiving great love with an average monthly sales exceeding 200 million KRW.

In particular, Sulbing Harajuku, the first store in Japan, gained explosive popularity despite no separate promotion, with over 400 customers lining up in a queue over 100 meters long immediately after opening and waiting for seven hours without hesitation. Since then, phenomena such as opening runs, early depletion of ingredients, and waiting ticket closures around 4 to 5 p.m. continued, targeting local Japanese tastes with the most Korean flavor and confirming the competitiveness of Korean-style desserts.

Through this agreement, Sulbing aims to recreate its glory in Japan by combining its local business know-how with the rich experience of its new partner, J&K Co., Ltd. J&K is a company that first launched Korean-style dessert cafes in Japan in 2009, when the market was almost undeveloped, and possesses franchise business as well as dining management consulting expertise, currently operating Korean-style dessert cafe brands.