November 23, 2024

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People queue up to grab takeout chicken at the BBQ Gardenia branch in Hanoi, Vietnam. (Genesis BBQ)

Korea's fried chicken franchise BBQ Chicken has opened a BBQ Smart Kitchen store specializing in delivery orders and takeout services in Vietnam, marking its Southeast Asian debut to tap into the rapidly growing delivery market.

Genesis BBQ announced Friday the recent opening of its BBQ Gardenia branch, situated within the upscale Vinhome Gardenia apartment complex in Hanoi.

"Given the unique growth trajectory of the Vietnamese delivery market among Southeast Asian nations, we are introducing the BSK model for the first time in the Vietnamese capital," BBQ said through a press release.

According to a report on Southeast Asian food delivery trends by global market research firm Momentum Works, food delivery transactions on Vietnamese platforms reached $1.4 billion in 2023. This marks a 30 percent increase from the previous year.

With motorcycle ownership rates reaching some 70 percent of the population, Vietnam's market is poised to further embrace its takeout food and delivery culture.

The commercial area near BBQ's Gardenia branch sees a higher influx of delivery and takeout service clientele compared to in-store patrons, owing to its proximity to universities, international schools, hospitals, office complexes and residential apartments.

Despite its modest size of approximately 22 square meters, the establishment showcases BBQ's most popular dishes, including the Golden Olive Chicken, Secret Seasoned Chicken and Jamaican Sotteok Chicken.

The company's future strategy includes introducing cafe-style venues featuring Korean favorites like kimchi fried rice, doenjang jjigae and tteokbokki, alongside scaling up the number of BSK-type stores tailored to the unique characteristics of each commercial district.

"We aim to develop a store model that best aligns with each local dynamic to position ourselves as a leading K-food enterprise," a BBQ official said.

BBQ's BSK store concept was first introduced in Korea in June 2020 to counter dwindling in-store sales amid the pandemic. Within six months of its debut, the initiative opened its 100th store, and surpassed the 300-store milestone within a year. In May of last year, BBQ launched its inaugural BSK store in Englewood, New Jersey, marking its global debut in the United States.

By Kim Hae-yeon (hykim@heraldcorp.com)