[Report] FC Barcelona Joins BBQ's Grand 30th Anniversary... Yoon Hong-geun: "Beyond McDonald's to a Global Company"

Sponsoring Barcelona Invitational Match for 30th Anniversary
BBQ Chairman: "Aiming for 50,000 Franchises Worldwide"
Inviting 30,000 Spectators Through App and Entry Ticket Events
Expecting Growth in App Membership and Reduced Franchise Fees

On July 31, at Seoul World Cup Stadium, a friendly match was held between Spanish professional football club FC Barcelona and FC Seoul. From four hours before kickoff, the plaza and indoor shopping mall leading to the stadium were crowded with teenagers and family football fans dressed in Barcelona uniforms. Despite the hot and humid weather, with a perceived temperature of 32 degrees Celsius, excitement was evident on the faces of those who were eager to see a prestigious European club and the world's top players in person for the first time in 15 years since 2010.

Yoon Honggeun, chairman of Genesis BBQ Group, is encouraging players from both teams ahead of the friendly match between FC Barcelona and FC Seoul held at Seoul World Cup Stadium to celebrate the 30th anniversary of BBQ's founding. Photo by Olive Creative

This match was an event organized by Genesis BBQ Group, which operates the chicken franchise BBQ, to celebrate its 30th anniversary on August 1. As the main sponsor, BBQ held a 47-day promotion from June 11 to July 27, recruiting about 30,000 spectators. Tickets were provided through the company's application (app), official Instagram events, and scratch-off entry tickets.

Over 200 overseas families, business partners, and local customers from 57 countries were also invited. Customers and franchise owners filled one section of the stadium, displaying a card section with 'I Love BBQ (I♡BBQ)' written in white on a red and blue striped background symbolizing the Barcelona uniform, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Yoon Hong-geun, chairman of Genesis BBQ Group, also walked around the stadium with an emotional expression. Wearing a Barcelona uniform with the number 30 to commemorate the 30th anniversary, he greeted key families and partners, shook hands with players from both teams on the field, patted them on the shoulder, and encouraged them to do their best. He also participated as the ceremonial kicker.

Chairman Yoon expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thanks to the love and support of our customers, BBQ has become a leading F&B (food and beverage) franchise group representing Korea." He added, "With the goal of opening 50,000 franchises worldwide, we are striving to surpass McDonald's and become the world's largest and best F&B franchise group, as well as a global company that creates a world where 8 billion people can 'eat well and live well.' I hope that all 50 million people in Korea will continue to love BBQ even more in the future."

At the friendly match between FC Barcelona and FC Seoul held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 31st of last month, spectators presented a card section celebrating the 30th anniversary of Genesis BBQ Group. Provided by Olive Creative

The response from BBQ customers and franchise owners who had the opportunity to watch the match in person was also enthusiastic. A franchise owner running a BBQ store in Incheon said, "Thanks to the 30th anniversary event, I was able to come here, and my wife and son are truly delighted." He added, "For self-employed people who live the same routine every day, this event was like a welcome rain that refreshed our spirits." A football fan from Gwanak-gu, Seoul, said, "I dreamed of holding a pig in my arms and invested in stocks, but things didn't go as I hoped. As a Barcelona fan, ordering chicken and winning a first-class ticket is the greatest luck I will remember for the rest of my life."

Barcelona started the match with elite members representing the league, including veteran striker Robert Lewandowski and rising star Lamine Yamal, launching an aggressive attack from the outset. Yamal and Ferran Torres each scored multiple goals, and Barcelona maintained dominance throughout the match, winning 7-3. The 62,482 spectators, including FC Seoul fans, erupted in cheers every time a goal was scored, enjoying the festive atmosphere. On August 4, Barcelona will play their second match in Korea against K League 1 club Daegu FC at Daegu Stadium.

BBQ expects that the Barcelona invitational match will help increase its app membership, which stood at about 4 million as of last year, and expand customer engagement. In fact, the event offering match tickets led to app sign-ups increasing more than sixfold compared to usual, and traffic also rose about eight times. A BBQ representative explained, "If our own app becomes more active instead of delivery apps, we can accumulate various big data, such as customers' ordering patterns, and use this for customized promotions. For franchise owners, it also helps profitability by saving the delivery app fee, which is about 2,000 won per chicken order."