[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] The domestic dining industry, including chicken and tteokbokki, is actively expanding its global footprint amid expectations of the endemic phase.
According to the dining industry on the 26th, Oven Cook franchise Goobne, operated by GN Food, recently opened its 5th store in Malaysia, the ‘Setia Mall branch.’
According to Goobne, the Setia Mall branch is located on the first floor of Setia Mall in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, covering approximately 158 square meters with a total of 65 seats. The Ara Damansara area where the store is located is centered around a station zone and hosts various educational institutions and commercial facilities in Malaysia, providing high accessibility for consumers.
Analysis of sales during Goobne’s soft opening period showed that ‘Goobne Spicy Crispy Chicken’ and ‘Goobne Volcano Cheese Tteokbokki on Iron Plate’ ranked among the top sellers. The SBS drama ‘Business Proposal,’ which Goobne supported production-wise, gained explosive popularity in Malaysia, creating a big buzz. As a result, the total sales of all Goobne stores in Malaysia in the first half of this year increased by about 92% compared to the second half of last year.
The average sales from March to April this year at stores in four countries including Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia increased by about 72% compared to January to February. In particular, Goobne Indonesia’s average sales from March to April surged approximately 159%.
Jung Taeyong, CEO of GN Food, said, “Next year, we aim to expand into East Malaysia, including the representative tourist destination Kota Kinabalu, and open a total of 15 stores in Malaysia.”
The unlimited refill tteokbokki franchise Dookki is also accelerating its overseas store openings. After opening its 100th store seven years after entering overseas markets last April, Dookki has been increasing new stores in Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and other countries, actively expanding its global presence following the endemic phase.
Dookki has consecutively opened stores at Lotte Mart in District 7 and Meter and Bac Lieu branches in Vietnam. The Philippines’ 3rd store ‘SM Megamall,’ Malaysia’s 5th store ‘Setia City Mall,’ and Thailand’s 13th store ‘The Promenade Mall’ are scheduled to open within this month.
Currently operating 112 stores across seven Southeast Asian countries, Dookki is rapidly increasing brand awareness and accelerating expansion into other regions. Dookki aims to open 200 stores globally, including North America and Europe, within three years. Recently, it signed master franchise agreements with partners in the U.S. East Coast and Australia and is preparing new stores.
A Dookki representative said, “Since the transition to the endemic phase, we have been receiving continuous inquiries about starting businesses in new countries beyond the existing markets. More prospective franchisees are seeking to secure overseas markets through a solid location and a systematic, highly stable brand.”
MOM’S TOUCH is entering the local market by partnering with RS Group, Thailand’s largest entertainment company. With Thailand’s rapidly growing dining and delivery market as a hub for ASEAN region expansion, MOM’S TOUCH plans to enhance global brand awareness with its differentiated chicken burger competitiveness.
RS Group is Thailand’s largest entertainment company listed on the local stock exchange. Leveraging its local business capabilities and network, it has recently shown growth in various sectors including e-commerce.
MOM’S TOUCH plans to open its first MF store in Thailand soon to gauge local consumer reactions and test optimized menus and services, thereby increasing its influence and recognition in the local market. It is actively discussing MF contracts not only in Thailand but also in ASEAN countries and the Middle East. Last year, it entered the U.S., the home market of burgers, as a master franchise and currently operates two local stores including the Long Beach branch, the brand’s first drive-thru store. It aims to open 100 stores in the U.S. by 2025.
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