Slapfish, a fast casual seafood concept serving up the quality of finer dining at the cost and convenience of “faster” food, announced aggressive expansion plans for South Korea, with the first location slated to open in Seoul in early 2017. The modern seafood shack plans to open 10 restaurants across the country over the next three years.
South Koreans consume over 100 pounds of seafood per person each year, compared to 16 pounds per person in the U.S. Based on these statistics, the country is a natural fit for Slapfish to continue spreading its brand of ridiculously fresh, refreshingly responsible seafood.
“South Koreans will soon discover Slapfish is the answer to all their crave-worthy seafood wishes,” says Chef Andrew Gruel, founder and CEO of Slapfish. “With our menu of seasonally-rotating, gourmet dishes in a fast-casual setting, guests experience the quality of fine dining with the cost and convenience of fast food. Also setting us apart is the fact that we only serve the freshest fish and shellfish sourced from well-managed, responsible suppliers of sustainable seafood.”
Founded by Andrew Gruel in 2011 with the goal of “making seafood sexy again,” Slapfish started as a food truck serving boat-to-plate seafood. Slapfish currently has seven brick-and-mortar locations open in Orange County and Los Angeles, and has signed agreements to open new restaurants in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Texas, as well as in the U.K., in 2017. Gruel is currently seeking franchise partners across the U.S. and internationally to assist him in expanding the chef-driven concept and raising awareness about the benefits of eating more seafood.
“Not only will our entry into South Korea accelerate our ability to scale domestically, we will also use it as a springboard to quicken our growth into neighboring countries, including China,” says Gruel. “Slapfish is an incredible concept with unlimited growth potential, and we look forward to making sustainable seafood an international staple as we continue to expand across the world.”
Known for inventive dishes like the Clobster Grilled Cheese and Chowder Fries, the modern seafood shack has created a niche in the marketplace, serving up fresh, sustainable seafood in a fast casual setting. Gruel and his team are dedicated to raising awareness of sustainable seafood, and work to educate consumers about making smart dining choices. As it expands worldwide, Slapfish aims to keep the oceans thriving, while spreading the word that sustainable tastes better.
