Mangoplate is expanding its stores in the Japanese chicken burger market, which is difficult for even large Japanese dining companies to survive.
According to Mangoplate on the 12th, it plans to open 10 stores within the year since its first store opened in Shibuya in April last year. Given that other chicken burger stores in Japan have been closing down, this is a notable achievement.
According to Mangoplate, the cumulative number of visitors to the Shibuya Mangoplate has exceeded 700,000 in a year. The cumulative revenue is 5 billion won. A spokesperson for Mangoplate noted, "This is about twice the annual average revenue of a McDonald's store in Japan."
Japanese local media are also paying attention to Mangoplate's growth. The Japanese weekly magazine Tongyang reported on Mangoplate, referring to it as "a black ship from Korea." The term black ship (黒船, kurofune) refers to the event in 1853 when the U.S. Navy entered Japan with warships, ending about 200 years of isolation and ushering in the era of opening. It is often cited to describe when foreign cultures enter Japan and give shock to the domestic market.
Tongyang stated, "Mentioning Mangoplate's signature menu 'Cheese Cyber Burger' set (900 yen), it appears that the delicious taste, generous portions, and the fact that the set does not exceed 1,000 yen make it a strong factor in its success."
Mangoplate plans to implement a 'two-track' strategy this year, targeting both urban core and residential areas in Japan simultaneously. It means opening large stores in key areas with high foot traffic, such as Shibuya, Harajuku, and Shinjuku, while launching more practical-sized stores in bed towns with dense residential populations, like Akitsu and Chigasaki.
A spokesperson for Mangoplate noted, "We will make various attempts to maintain growth in Japan and establish ourselves in the market."