Theborn Korea announced on the 10th that it has officially launched bibimbap and rice bowl menu items at the food court of the GLOBUS Markthalle hypermarket in Germany, using its 'global food consulting franchise' model.
The food court where the menu was officially launched is operated by the German retail giant GLOBUS Markthallen Holding GmbH & Co. KG. GLOBUS generates approximately 13 trillion won in revenue in Europe, operating 77 hypermarkets in Germany and the Czech Republic, and 90 DIY stores in Germany and Luxembourg.
GLOBUS is regarded as one of the best-loved brands by German consumers in terms of the quality of fresh produce and customer trust. Notably, the St. Wendel region, where the GLOBUS headquarters are located, has only one Korean resident, making Theborn Korea the first to introduce Korean cuisine in a region inhabited solely by Germans.
Starting with the launch in the St. Wendel region, Theborn Korea plans to gradually introduce its menu in other hypermarkets operated by GLOBUS. To this end, Theborn Korea supplies the core sauces of the bibimbap and rice bowls it independently developed in Korea while providing menu development and cooking guide consulting. According to Theborn Korea's consulting, local chefs at GLOBUS's food court will prepare bibimbap using German ingredients for the local customers.
This entry into Germany marks the first attempt by Theborn Korea to implement the 'global food consulting franchise' model. Unlike the traditional master franchise (MF) model, which allows an intermediary franchisee to sell the rights to operate a franchise to potential franchisees, this new overseas business model suggests cooking methods and recipes optimized for local environments around the world based on sauces independently developed by Theborn Korea.
Theborn Korea explained that the initiative aims to spread standardized Korean menu items that anyone can replicate in any part of the world while minimizing store and workforce risks. Through the launch of bibimbap and rice bowl menu items in Germany, Theborn Korea has secured a foothold for the spread of Korean cuisine in Europe. Additionally, it is in strategic discussions with local distributors to expand into the Czech Republic, France, and the United Kingdom.
In particular, the development of B2B export sauces for serious overseas expansion is in its final stages. Theborn Korea has completed the development of 7 out of 11 types of export sauces, including ▲kimchi seasoning powder ▲doenjang stew sauce ▲fried chicken sauce ▲tteokbokki sauce ▲spicy stir-fry sauce ▲soy sauce stir-fry sauce ▲spicy stew sauce ▲ssamjang sauce ▲pickled soy sauce ▲jjajang sauce ▲LA galbi sauce. The remaining 4 types are also nearing completion. Furthermore, the packaging of each sauce includes a QR code containing a video introducing menu recipes that can be created using the sauce.
Paik Jong-won, CEO of Theborn Korea, noted, 'Exporting the standards of Korean cuisine centered around menu and sauce without store operations is a new attempt that will become a new paradigm for globalizing Korean cuisine,' adding, 'Starting with the collaboration with GLOBUS, we will accelerate the global popularization of Korean cuisine through Theborn Korea’s unique cooking know-how and flavor across Europe.'