A photo provided by South Korean fried chicken chain Genesis BBQ Co. on April 17, 2023, shows the exterior of the company’s first store in Florida.
SEOUL, April 17 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean fried chicken franchise Genesis BBQ Co. said Monday it has recently opened its first shop in Florida as part of efforts to tap deeper into the American market.
The shop has opened in Tampa, one of the most populous areas in the southeastern U.S. state.
The Tampa store serves not only fried chicken but other Korean dishes as well, such as “tteokbokki,” a popular Korean snack made from rice cake and red chili pepper sauce, and kimchi fried rice.
“BBQ chicken’s key to success is that it has maintained the original Korean flavor rather than localizing the flavor,” a company official said, noting its chicken tastes the same in any of its stores across the globe.
Genesis BBQ now has 250 shops in 22 U.S. states, with the number of its stores worldwide reaching 700.
BBQ was named the second-fastest growing restaurant chain in the United States last year, according to a survey by Nation’s Restaurant News, an American publication covering the food service industry.
Genesis BBQ uses bb.q Chicken as its brand name in the U.S.
(Yonhap)
