Dining Brands Group's Menu Development Team 1 Leader Lee Seok-dong speaks with The Korea Times during an interview at the company's Bhc menu development lab in Seoul's Songpa District, Thursday. Courtesy of Dining Brands Group
Fans of Bhc, a Korean fried chicken franchise, may think that its signature menu items sold here reflect the brand entirely. But beyond customer-favorites such as Kwassak King, Bburinkle and Soy Garlic King, there are menu items that, while unbeknownst to Korean consumers, are now thriving in the company’s global markets.
How did these menu options end up being more popular outside Korea when the company’s primary goal is to make them a hit at home? Lee Seok-dong, a menu development team leader at Bhc operator Dining Brands Group, pointed to cultural differences.
Bhc first introduced Mala Khan here in 2019, a spicy fried chicken soaked in malatang and spices used in Chinese hot pots. However, its appeal in the Korean market was short-lived. Instead, it opened the eyes of consumers in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian markets, where spices with a strong tang are common ingredients. Mala Khan remains one of the brand’s signature offerings in the region.
“Mala Khan failed to become a regular menu item here,” Lee told The Korea Times in an interview at the company’s menu development center in Seoul’s Songpa District. “But it clearly demonstrated that the same menu can generate completely opposite results in different gastronomic environments.”
Some menu items were not even introduced in Korea at all. Curly fries, a local favorite in Malaysia, were seasoned with Bhc’s bburinkle (Korean sweet cheese seasoning) and went viral among locals. Another menu item with sambal sauce, inspired by the country's traditional dish Nasi Lemak, has also become a local special.
Bhc restaurant in Sunway City, Malaysia, is crowded with patrons in this December 2023 photo. Courtesy of Dining Brands Group
In Thailand, the hot and humid climate prompted the brand to introduce Crispy Bburinkle, a menu item with a crisp texture that can withstand the local weather. Bburinkle-seasoned chicken skin and joint are also popular among patrons who rave local night bazaars.
Beyond chicken options, Bhc also offers the Bburinkle Sandwich and Crispy Bun, which gained traction in the United States and Canada, according to Lee. In the U.S., Bhc branches that introduced a wing and tender platter with four signature dipping sauces posted sales 280 percent higher than the country’s average. To cater to Canada's diverse ethnic groups, the brand also has a variation to pizza, lasagna, fried rice and poutine.
“For our American markets, we understood that local consumers rather consider chicken a meal than a side dish next to a pint of beer. As our Southeast Asian markets showed, local climates and flavors in highest demand determine our menus exclusive to certain countries,” Lee said.
Source: Korea Times News
