On the 23rd, Genesis BBQ Group (hereafter BBQ) announced that it has opened its first store, 'BBQ Village Chengdu Dongjiaoji', in Chengdu (成都, Chéngdū), the capital of Sichuan province in China.
Chengdu is a representative city in western China. According to China's National Bureau of Statistics, the population was 21.47 million as of last year. Chengdu is considered one of the mega cities (超大城市) designated by the Chinese government, along with Chongqing, Shanghai, and Beijing, known for its high growth potential.
In particular, Chengdu is one of the 'World Gourmet Cities' as designated by UNESCO. By opening a store in a globally recognized gourmet city, BBQ aims to enhance its status as a representative of K-food, embodying taste, culture, and brand.
Dongjiaoji (东郊记忆, dōngjiāojì) is emerging as a hot spot, especially among the local young generation and tourists. It has been remodeled by combining modern art and commercial elements in an industrial area that once housed factories, becoming a space that represents youthful trends. It is also referred to as 'the Seongsu-dong of Chengdu.'
Here, BBQ has recently opened BBQ Village Chengdu Dongjiaoji, measuring approximately 160㎡ (about 48 pyeong). The store offers a diverse menu selection, including BBQ's signature chicken dishes like golden olive chicken, seasoned chicken, and soy garlic, along with Western dishes such as salads, pizza, and hamburgers, as well as Korean dishes like jjimdak and tteokbokki. This is expected to serve as a hub for local MZ generation consumers to enjoy K-food and Korean culture.
A BBQ official noted, 'Chengdu is an important strategic hub for expanding the western China market as a city of economy, culture, and gourmet.' They added, 'We aim to grow into a brand representing K-food through an aggressive localization strategy that considers regional characteristics in China.'