K-Chicken Leader bhc Dominating Domestic Market, Sets Out for Overseas Conquest

Recent Opening of 3rd and 4th Branches in Thailand
Overseas Sales Lagging but Showing Rapid Growth
Targeting Southeast Asia with Localization and K-Food Menu Harmony

bhc, the No. 1 chicken sales leader in Korea, is embarking on overseas expansion. Among the top three chicken brands, it had been the most reluctant to cross borders but has now shifted to an offensive strategy. Riding on the popularity of K-food fueled by the spread of K-content, bhc plans to shake up the global chicken market where BBQ and Kyochon Chicken have already established a presence.

bhc Chicken Thailand 4th Branch bhc Central Rama 2 Store Opens

bhc expands to 4th store in Thailand just 5 months after opening its 1st

According to the distribution industry on the 4th, bhc recently opened its 3rd store 'Victory Monument' and 4th store 'Central Rama 2' in Thailand. This marks a successful expansion to four stores within five months since opening its first store 'CentralWorld' earlier this year.

bhc has currently entered Thailand in the form of a master franchise (MF). Local operations are handled by 'Mission Group,' a Thai foodservice specialist company.

The 3rd store is a delivery-only outlet targeting the rapidly growing Thai delivery market. It is located in Victory Monument, a central business district densely populated with offices, schools, hospitals, and residential complexes.

bhc has signed an exclusive contract with the top local delivery platform in Thailand and plans to aggressively target local consumers through extensive promotions within the app.

The 4th store is located in the large shopping mall 'Central Rama 2' in the Bang Khun Thian area of Bangkok. The mall boasts a high foot traffic and excellent transportation accessibility, featuring various amenities such as a department store, supermarket, and multiplex cinema.

With a total area of 166㎡ (approximately 50 pyeong), the store features bhc's signature bright and lively yellow-toned interior, designed as a casual dining restaurant suitable for family meals and dates.

2023 Chicken Sales Status of the Three Major Companies

bhc, No. 1 in domestic sales but last in overseas revenue... Will localization trigger a paradigm shift?

bhc is the highest-grossing company among K-chicken brands. Last year, it earned a total of 535.6 billion KRW, maintaining its No. 1 position after surpassing Kyochon Chicken for the first time in 2022. Last year, BBQ and Kyochon Chicken recorded sales of 473.1 billion KRW and 425.9 billion KRW, respectively.

bhc's overseas sales last year were 2 billion KRW, the lowest among the top three chicken brands. This showed a significant gap compared to BBQ's 110 billion KRW and Kyochon Chicken's 17.8 billion KRW. However, bhc's growth rate was the highest at 193%.

bhc opened its first overseas store as a testbed in Hong Kong six years ago in 2018. However, it hesitated to expand overseas continuously. Starting from the end of 2022, when it recorded the top domestic sales for the first time, bhc began actively expanding its overseas territory, beginning with opening stores in Malaysia. In February last year, it opened its first North American store, 'LA Farmers Market,' in Los Angeles, California. In the second half of the year, it rapidly expanded by opening its 4th to 6th stores in Malaysia. In May this year, it also opened its 2nd store in Hong Kong, six years after entering the market.

bhc plans to catch up with BBQ and Kyochon Chicken by simultaneously introducing K-food and localized menus, focusing on the Southeast Asian market where K-content is highly popular.

In fact, in Thailand, bhc is selling special menu items using unique parts such as Purinkle Chicken Skin (chicken skin) and Purinkle Chicken Joint (chicken cartilage). Considering the high interest from local customers and the area's many foreign tourists, it also offers various Korean dishes such as tteokbokki and kimchi fried rice.

A bhc Chicken representative said, “With the popularity of K-culture and K-food, combined with the image of being 'Korea's number one chicken brand,' bhc Chicken has successfully opened its 1st and 2nd stores in Thailand and is establishing itself as the trendiest dining brand. Moving forward, we will accelerate our global market entry into Southeast Asia, North America, and beyond through new menus that satisfy local tastes and aggressive localization strategies based on bhc's unique know-how.”