Bonchon, the globally celebrated Korean fried chicken franchise known for its hand-battered, double-fried chicken and signature sauces, is focused on strategic U.S. expansion. As the brand enters its next phase of growth, Bonchon is prioritizing markets across Texas and the Southeast that combine population growth, attractive demographics, strong demand for chicken and favorable business environments.
Korean food has moved well beyond its traditional niche in the U.S. Consumers are increasingly familiar with Korean flavors, ingredients and dishes, while the broader influence of Korean culture — from K-pop and entertainment to beauty and food — has helped introduce Korean experiences to a much wider American audience.
For Bonchon, that momentum creates a compelling franchise development opportunity. The brand offers consumers an approachable entry point into Korean cuisine through a product they already know and love: fried chicken.
“Korean food is hot right now, and we believe that momentum is only creating more opportunities for Bonchon,” said Blas Escarcega, Chief Development Officer. “Consumers are more familiar with Korean flavors than ever before, but chicken is still one of the most approachable and popular food categories in America. Bonchon brings those two things together. We can introduce guests to authentic Korean flavors through a product they already understand and enjoy.”
That combination gives Bonchon an opportunity to appeal both to consumers already familiar with Korean cuisine and to guests experiencing Korean flavors for the first time.
“The Southeast — particularly the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida — represents a significant growth opportunity for Bonchon,” said Blas Escarcega, Chief Development Officer. “These markets are benefiting from population and economic growth, and chicken is already an important part of the region’s dining culture. We also have successful franchisees operating in several of these markets, which gives us a strong foundation from which to build greater brand density.”
Georgia and the Atlanta Metro Offer a Strong Population and Density-Building Opportunity
Currently, Bonchon has two units in Georgia. So while the brand has flags planted and brand awareness growing, there is also significant white space to build brand density and support interconnected regional marketing.
“Atlanta metro is home to about 6 million people, and it has robust job growth,” Escarcega said. “Targeting the Atlanta metro will allow us to open restaurants in areas that are tailored to young professionals, Gen Z and millennials and address strong daytime and nighttime customer segments.”
The Carolinas represent another market where Bonchon is positioned to thrive. The restaurant scene across these states is strong, and people are especially welcoming to and supportive of new concepts.
“Some of our most successful restaurants are in North Carolina,” Escarcega said. “The state is driven by financial services, healthcare and manufacturing, and there are lots of great universities throughout North Carolina. These factors attract a lot of new residents. And you have South Carolina, which is adjacent. Across the Carolinas, there are a lot of good-sized cities, and they’re all easily connected within about 30 minutes of each other. Because of this, we’re not targeting just one metro. There’s a wide geographic area that we can develop.”
Florida is already home to a strong population of experienced multi-unit operators, Escarcega said. This, combined with an influx of new residents and steady tourism traffic, makes the state especially attractive for Bonchon.
“Florida is a growing area, and we have successful franchises already in place,” he said. “There are currently eight Bonchon restaurants across the state, so there is a baseline for brand awareness, but there’s still so much white space. We’re working to increase our presence in Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and Naples.”
While growth across the Southeast will drive Bonchon’s presence in key markets that offer the prime combination of growth potential and brand awareness, the leadership team is also looking at growth in Texas.
Currently, Escarcega is focused on major metros like Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and Houston, but he sees long-term opportunity in the border region as well.
“There’s a lot of land available in Texas,” he said. “We feel there’s a tremendous opportunity with the Latin population that really loves Asian cuisine, and it’s a growing area. There’s a good workforce, household incomes are favorable and Texas is a very business-friendly state.”
As Bonchon looks toward its future growth, the team is focused on finding the right people to grow with. In addition to meeting the baseline financial and experiential requirements, Escarcega is working to identify operators who are truly excited about the Bonchon model and opportunity and will carry out the brand’s vision in their local markets.
Bonchon is also refining its restaurant prototype as it looks for the right operators to grow with. The new design is meant to lower startup costs and make the format more flexible, which can help owners open sooner and for less. That fits the brand’s current regional strategy while supporting longer-term national growth.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/bonchon.
Bonchon
SPONSORED
The leading Korean fried chicken franchise is focused on bringing its efficient, smaller-footprint restaurants to key markets across Texas and the Southeast to drive sustainable expansion.
Bonchon, the globally celebrated Korean fried chicken franchise known for its hand-battered, double-fried chicken and signature sauces, is focused on strategic U.S. expansion. As the brand enters its next phase of growth, Bonchon is prioritizing markets across Texas and the Southeast that combine population growth, attractive demographics, strong demand for chicken and favorable business environments.
Korean food has moved well beyond its traditional niche in the U.S. Consumers are increasingly familiar with Korean flavors, ingredients and dishes, while the broader influence of Korean culture — from K-pop and entertainment to beauty and food — has helped introduce Korean experiences to a much wider American audience.
For Bonchon, that momentum creates a compelling franchise development opportunity. The brand offers consumers an approachable entry point into Korean cuisine through a product they already know and love: fried chicken.
“Korean food is hot right now, and we believe that momentum is only creating more opportunities for Bonchon,” said Blas Escarcega, Chief Development Officer. “Consumers are more familiar with Korean flavors than ever before, but chicken is still one of the most approachable and popular food categories in America. Bonchon brings those two things together. We can introduce guests to authentic Korean flavors through a product they already understand and enjoy.”
That combination gives Bonchon an opportunity to appeal both to consumers already familiar with Korean cuisine and to guests experiencing Korean flavors for the first time.
“The Southeast — particularly the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida — represents a significant growth opportunity for Bonchon,” said Blas Escarcega, Chief Development Officer. “These markets are benefiting from population and economic growth, and chicken is already an important part of the region’s dining culture. We also have successful franchisees operating in several of these markets, which gives us a strong foundation from which to build greater brand density.”
Georgia and the Atlanta Metro Offer a Strong Population and Density-Building Opportunity
Currently, Bonchon has two units in Georgia. So while the brand has flags planted and brand awareness growing, there is also significant white space to build brand density and support interconnected regional marketing.
“Atlanta metro is home to about 6 million people, and it has robust job growth,” Escarcega said. “Targeting the Atlanta metro will allow us to open restaurants in areas that are tailored to young professionals, Gen Z and millennials and address strong daytime and nighttime customer segments.”
The Carolinas represent another market where Bonchon is positioned to thrive. The restaurant scene across these states is strong, and people are especially welcoming to and supportive of new concepts.
“Some of our most successful restaurants are in North Carolina,” Escarcega said. “The state is driven by financial services, healthcare and manufacturing, and there are lots of great universities throughout North Carolina. These factors attract a lot of new residents. And you have South Carolina, which is adjacent. Across the Carolinas, there are a lot of good-sized cities, and they’re all easily connected within about 30 minutes of each other. Because of this, we’re not targeting just one metro. There’s a wide geographic area that we can develop.”
Florida is already home to a strong population of experienced multi-unit operators, Escarcega said. This, combined with an influx of new residents and steady tourism traffic, makes the state especially attractive for Bonchon.
“Florida is a growing area, and we have successful franchises already in place,” he said. “There are currently eight Bonchon restaurants across the state, so there is a baseline for brand awareness, but there’s still so much white space. We’re working to increase our presence in Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and Naples.”
While growth across the Southeast will drive Bonchon’s presence in key markets that offer the prime combination of growth potential and brand awareness, the leadership team is also looking at growth in Texas.
Currently, Escarcega is focused on major metros like Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and Houston, but he sees long-term opportunity in the border region as well.
“There’s a lot of land available in Texas,” he said. “We feel there’s a tremendous opportunity with the Latin population that really loves Asian cuisine, and it’s a growing area. There’s a good workforce, household incomes are favorable and Texas is a very business-friendly state.”
As Bonchon looks toward its future growth, the team is focused on finding the right people to grow with. In addition to meeting the baseline financial and experiential requirements, Escarcega is working to identify operators who are truly excited about the Bonchon model and opportunity and will carry out the brand’s vision in their local markets.
Bonchon is also refining its restaurant prototype as it looks for the right operators to grow with. The new design is meant to lower startup costs and make the format more flexible, which can help owners open sooner and for less. That fits the brand’s current regional strategy while supporting longer-term national growth.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/bonchon.
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