BHC lands in Vietnam with 50-store target

Hao Corp. CEO Tan Kim Yong (left) and Dining Brands Group CEO Song Ho-seop pose for a photo during a signing ceremony in Vietnam on April 29. (Dining Brands Group)

South Korean fried chicken chain BHC is making its first foray into Vietnam through a master franchise agreement, seeking to tap rising appetite for Korean food in one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing consumer markets.

Dining Brands Group, the chain's parent company, said Friday it had inked the deal with Singapore-based Hao Open Foods, a food and retail operator that already runs BHC franchise locations in Singapore and manages supermarket and food distribution networks across Southeast Asia.

“Leveraging our local partner’s distribution network and operational expertise, we plan to steadily grow the store network and establish the brand in the market," Dining Brands Group CEO Song Ho-seop said in a statement.

The company envisions openings across major Vietnamese cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, targeting 50 stores within the next decade.

In a market where Korean consumer brands have found an eager audience among younger consumers, BHC said it would adapt to local tastes while keeping flagship menu items such as its Bburinkle and Matcho King chicken front and center.

BHC currently has a presence in eight overseas markets spanning Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the US and Canada. The Philippines is next on the list, with an entry planned for later this year.