Investigation of Overseas Popular Chicken by Top 3 Domestic Chicken Brands
BBQ Recognized for Yangnyeom Chicken, bhc for Bburinkle
Kyochon Chicken Shows Different Trends by Region
K-Chicken is steadily expanding its overseas territory. BBQ, which started pioneering early, has opened stores in 57 countries worldwide, from the United States to Panama. Especially in the United States, known as the homeland of chicken, it has established its presence by entering 30 out of 50 states. The latecomers, Kyochon Chicken and bhc, are also gaining momentum. Why exactly are foreigners so enthusiastic about K-Chicken? We asked the three companies which chicken menu is the most popular by brand overseas.
Among overseas K-Chicken brands, BBQ's seasoned chicken is the most popular. This menu, sold in Korea as 'Golden Olive Chicken Seasoned,' goes by a different name abroad. It is called 'Secret Sauce Chicken.' Foreigners are said to be enthusiastic about the 'secret sauce,' which features a thin, old-fashioned fried batter combined with natural ingredients like apple puree and carrots, creating a soft and sweet flavor.
BBQ has expanded to 57 countries worldwide, including the United States, Canada, Panama, the Bahamas, Vietnam, and Fiji. Particularly in the largest market, the United States, it recently opened a store in Indiana, marking its entry into the 30th state. It is especially popular among young people; recently, it was ranked as the number one K-food that students most wanted to try at a public school in New York, and BBQ held the first-ever daily meal event for a Korean dining brand. BBQ plans to open nearly 200 new stores in the United States next year.
The most popular menu overseas at bhc is none other than 'Bburinkle.' Introduced domestically in 2014, Bburinkle is a new-concept chicken where freshly fried chicken is sprinkled with bhc's proprietary cheese seasoning and dipped into a sweet and tangy Bburinkle sauce for added fun. Bburinkle is sold in seven countries including Malaysia, Thailand, the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, and Taiwan, and recently surpassed 900,000 units in cumulative overseas sales. A bhc representative said, "It is regarded as a trendy chicken with a unique taste, and especially among customers in their 20s and 30s, word of mouth has spread quickly, generating a hot response."
Other menus using Bburinkle seasoning are also popular. In Thailand, special chicken parts seasoned with Bburinkle such as ▲Bburinkle Chicken Skin and ▲Bburinkle Chicken Joint, as well as spicy stir-fried noodles served with Bburinkle seasoning, sell well. In the United States, the Bburinkle sandwich ranks first in sales and has become a signature menu item.
For Kyochon Chicken, popular menus vary by region. Kyochon Chicken currently operates 75 stores in seven countries including the United States, China, Canada, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, and the UAE. In the United States, Kyochon Original (Soy) is the most popular. The Original features Kyochon's distinctive rich garlic and soy sauce flavor. A Kyochon Chicken representative explained, "In the United States, chicken menus are enjoyed as meals rather than snacks, so savory menus are preferred over sweet ones."
In contrast, in Chinese-speaking regions such as China and Taiwan, the Honey series, which adds the sweetness of natural acacia honey to soy sauce, is the most popular. In Southeast Asian regions like Malaysia and Indonesia, the Mix series, which combines various flavors such as Soy, Honey, and Red, is highly favored. A Kyochon Chicken representative said, "Unlike other regions, the Red series has been popular in Southeast Asia for some time. With the rising popularity of Korean Wave and Korean-style spicy flavors, the Red series, which uses domestically grown Cheongyang red chili peppers to create a deliciously spicy taste, has been praised for perfectly capturing the taste preferences of Southeast Asian customers who enjoy spicy food."
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