Shake Shack Burger, one of America’s top burger chains, will open its first Korean branch in Gangnam, Seoul, on July 22, in partnership with SPC Group, a leading global food company based in South Korea.
SPC Group held a media presentation at the Gangnam Shack on July 19. “Introducing Shake Shack to the Korean market, we will tap into the ‘fine casual’ food market and reinforce our restaurant business. By doing so, we plan to raise sales of Paris Croissant’s dining business to 200 billion won by 2025.”
Fine casual is a new category in restaurants. Fine casual couples the ease, value and convenience of fast casual concepts with the high standards of excellence in thoughtful ingredient sourcing, preparation, hospitality and quality grounded in fine dining.
Shake Shack was founded by Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), which owns and operates some of New York City’s most celebrated restaurants.
The original Shack started as a hot dog cart in Manhattan’s Madison Square Park in 2002 to help support the restoration of the park. Shake Shack is a modern day “roadside” burger stand known for its 100% all-natural, antibiotic-free Angus beef burgers (no hormones added ever), its premium ingredients. Shake Shack has expanded into 13 countries.
Nearly 30 Korean companies had competed for several years to become Shake Shack’s Korean licensee. In December 2015, SPC Group signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Shake Shack Enterprise International.
Hur Hee-Soo, Senior Managing Director of SPC Group, said, “Five years ago, I met Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer and explained SPC Group’s corporate philosophy and its vision for becoming a global food company. Our corporate philosophy ‘The Best Way to Happiness’ struck a chord with Shake Shack. Thus, Shake Shack has joined hands with SPC Group in expanding into Korea.”
Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti said: “Shake Shack is both proud and honored to partner with SPC Group. With 70 years of knowledge, experience and world-class innovation in the food and beverage industry, SPC Group lends the ideal expertise to launch Shake Shack in South Korea.”
