Bonchon, on a mission to share the joy of Korean food around the world, today announced that five new stores in Alabama and four in Arizona are slated to open starting in 2024. Building on the momentum of 38 units signed to date this year, the brand is now setting its sights on further expansion throughout Atlanta, Chicago, and Minnesota. Bonchon has maintained several consecutive years of sales growth with an Average Unit Volume of $1.68 million across 124 locations in the United States and over 420 units globally.
The brand first caught the attention of Tucson franchisee Matt Quick while he flipped through a magazine on a flight and saw that Bonchon’s wings were named the best in Dallas. Quick, then the owner of five locations of a major pizza franchise, had been on the hunt for a new concept and was inspired to embark on a “Korean fried chicken road trip,” stopping first at the Bonchon in Tempe. He was amazed by how fresh, light, and delicious the wings were and after checking out a competitor and visiting another Bonchon location in Las Vegas, he became “obsessed.” Quick connected with Bonchon’s franchise development and soon signed on to bring the brand’s first location to Tucson, with construction currently underway.
“Bonchon to me presented an exciting opportunity to be part of a brand that has a solid foundation of 20 years in the business but with the feel of a concept on the brink of becoming something really big – and I also just loved the food,” says Quick. “From my initial contact with Bonchon, I have been very impressed by the management team, who truly listens, cares, and is willing to adapt to help me be successful. Bonchon exemplifies the ideal balance of authenticity and innovation.”
Since signing on his first location, Quick has added on three more Bonchon locations to cover the Tucson market. As a Tucson native, Quick is excited to bring Bonchon, which the name translates from Korean to English as “my hometown,” to his hometown of Tucson, a community open to exploring a variety of cuisines.
While the Tucson market is now sold out, growth opportunities are available in the Phoenix area.
Bonchon has developed a following since it first opened in New York City in 2006 and has been enjoying the continued popularity of Korean food and culture. The brand is known for its Korean fried chicken that is hand battered and double-fried to achieve its craveable crunch, and every piece of chicken is hand brushed to perfection with Bonchon’s unique sauces.
Bonchon offers flexibility with restaurant formats including fast-casual, full dine-in, carry out and delivery, and a restaurant opening concierge partners with franchisees to them through site selection, store design, permitting, construction, and procurement, along with providing ongoing training, operational, and marketing support.
“As our Bonchon fan base continues to grow in the United States, we are excited to be able to offer franchisees like Matt a unique business opportunity backed by strong sales performance and the support needed to drive success at every location,” says Bonchon CEO Bryan Shin. “The brand is truly at an inflection point and we’re well positioned to achieve our goals of 500 locations in the U.S. and 500 internationally over the next five years.”