THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE MATCHMAKING MISSION TO KOREA 9 – 13 APRIL 2018 FINAL REPORT INTRODUCTION The Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS), established in 1980, has more than 350 members representing 600 brands and 3,000 outlets. The RAS’s goal is to propel the industry forward through various programs aimed at driving business success. One of the programs is to regularly visit countries in the region to learn about the country and to interact with food service companies in that country. The RAS coordinated with IRC, a business development consultancy in Korea to implement the mission. IRC’s remit was to prepare a four-day Korea visit program and to anchor it with an agreed food related exhibition or show. PROGRAM: The RAS elected to anchor the program around the International Food Service Industry Show and the visit was scheduled for 9 to 13 April 2018 accordingly. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: During the program, the RAS delegation experienced: • 5 Workshops pertinent to working in the restaurant business in Korea • 3 meetings with large food service companies: CJ Freshway, Lotte GRS and SPC • 6 site visits to entrepreneur restaurants • 1-on-1 meetings with 12 Korean food service companies • Participation in the International Food Service Industry Show (FISK) • Meeting with 9 executives of food service companies at FISK PROGRAM DETAILS: Day 1: AM, Workshops • Korean Business Culture, Peter Underwood, Managing Partner of IRC Consulting • Restaurant Industry in Korea, Kim, Sung-yoon, Senior Staff Writer, Food & Travel, Chosunilbo Daily • Real Estate and Commercial Property Matters, Kim, Jongjun, Head of Retail, Jones Lang LaSalle Kore Day 1: PM, Site Visits • Doekjane Bangatgan, Korean Street Food, Hosted by Jeong Deok-in, CEO and Cho Suk-won, Franchise Division Chief (https://deokja.modoo.at/) RAS Korea Matchmaking Trip Final Report, Revised 4 May 2018 Page 2 of 13 • CJ Freshway, Korea’s 2nd largest food service & catering company, hosted by Ahn Myung-dong, Senior Manager, http://www.cjfreshway.com/en Day 2: AM, Workshops • Franchising System in Korea and Legal Issues, Kim Yoon-sun, Foreign Attorney and Hong Dong-oh (Phil), Attorney Yoon & Yang • Accounting Issues in the Restaurant Business, Mr Ethan Cho, Lian Associates Day 2: PM, Site Visits • Presentation by LOTTE Global Restaurant Service team, Sung Yongwook, Team Leader • Lunch & Site Visit to Maple Tree House hosted by Paul Hong, Owner, (http://www.mapletreehouse.co.kr/eng) • Tour of D-Tower hosted by Paul Hong including: - Pauli’s Pizza - Pho Chi Minh (now Fat Noodle) - Walk through mid to upper-mid level family themed restaurants including On- the-Border, Mad for Garlic, XXX Station • Ollefood, Grilled fish concept, Hosted by Lee, Hoseong, CEO http://www.ollefood.net/ • GOM 603, Burgers, Hosted by Na, Kijoo, http://www.goms603.com/ • Temple Food, a special site visit was arranged for Alex Tan where he was introduced to Korean vegan fare and related trends were explained by a local, experienced vegan epicurean. Day 3: AM, Match Making Meetings RAS Participants Jumbo Group of Restaurants Ang Kiam Meng Group CEO Mitsu Dining Concepts Choi Jiseon General Manager No Signboard Holdings Cheo Tian Feng General Manager Rabbit Food Van Karen Cheng Director Revenue Valley Group Dickson Low Group COO Royal T Group Rodney Tang Managing Director Select Group Vincent Tan Managing Director Group Managing The ED Designs Group Chong E Min Director Veganfoods Global Alex Tan CEO Suite 1705, Officia Building, 92, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea 03186 서울시 종로구 신문로 1 가 163 광화문 오피시아빌딩, 1705 호 Tel: +82-2-737-3222, www.ircconsultingkorea.com RAS Korea Matchmaking Trip Final Report, Revised 4 May 2018 Page 3 of 13 Local Participants Dareun Park, Do-keun CEO Dareun Kim, Soo-kyung Deputy Manager Dareun Lee, Kyu-hyuk Deputy Manager Dareun Oh, Dae-chan Staff E-Land Ha, Kyung-hwan Team Leader Olle Seafood Lee, Ho-seong CEO Yongmaeul Sung, Ki-suk Senior Manager Yongmaeul Liu Guang-keun General Manager Yongmaeul Kim, Tae-gong General Manager the B.A.C.K Corp. G John Bae CEO International Business GN Food Lee, Dae-young Development Manager Crave Foods Ryu, Abe Director Korea Food Service Institute Byun, Ki-hyo President Corea Culinary Officer Lee, Jung-youl President Occupational Training College Alpa Korea Oh, Min-gyoo Executive Vice President Alpa Korea Lee, S.B. Deputy General Manager GOM's Food Na, Kiju CEO Urban Group Kenneth Park CEO One-on-one matchmaking meetings. Suite 1705, Officia Building, 92, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea 03186 서울시 종로구 신문로 1 가 163 광화문 오피시아빌딩, 1705 호 Tel: +82-2-737-3222, www.ircconsultingkorea.com RAS Korea Matchmaking Trip Final Report, Revised 4 May 2018 Page 4 of 13 Day 3: PM, Visit to the International Food Service Industry Show The RAS Mission visited the anchor event on 12 April. At the IFSK, the sponsor, Food Bank media arranged a brief meeting with key members of the industry including: Group CEO GENESIS BBQ Group Yoon Hong Geun Korea Food Industry Association KFIA Chair EBADOM CEO Group CEO Korea Food Service Kim Hyun Ho KFIK Co-Chair Industry Association Genesis BBQ Global Brian Chung CEO Kimchi Association of Korea Lee Ha Yeun CEO Ko Rae Food Song Myung Eui CEO VICTORY US Kim Keum Ja CEO GENESIS BBQ Group Ko Keum Soo CEO Multi Cafe MEGOZIGO Lim Cheol Joon CEO Korea Kitchen Kang Dong Won CEO Distribution Association Korea Food Service Information Park Hyung Hee CEO YIDOGAM Inc. (Bulgogi Chai Woo Yi CEO Brothers) Ha-Nam F&B Jang Bo Hwan CEO School Food Lee Sang Yun CEO Monthly Restaurant Magazine, Yuk Ju Hee Editor-in-chief Suite 1705, Officia Building, 92, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea 03186 서울시 종로구 신문로 1 가 163 광화문 오피시아빌딩, 1705 호 Tel: +82-2-737-3222, www.ircconsultingkorea.com RAS Korea Matchmaking Trip Final Report, Revised 4 May 2018 Page 5 of 13 Media: At the show, Food Bank reporter Yoon, Sam-gyun interviewed Jumbo Group CEO, Ang Kiam Meng and Select Group CEO Vincent Tan. The resulting article appeared in their magazine on 16 April. Day 4: AM, Site Visit • Wrap up meeting • Lunch & Site Visit to Shake Shack managed by the SPC group, hosted by Lee, Kyung-il (Kenneth) www.spc.co.kr SUMMARY OF SITE VISITS: Lunch and Site Visit to Deokjane Bangatgan Host: Mr Jeong Deok-in, CEO & Mr Cho Suk-won, Franchise Division Chief Website: https://deokja.modoo.at/ Doekjane Bangatgan is one of the fastest growing Korean street food franchises. It now has 8 stores and is preparing to open 3 more. “Wednesday Food Talk”, a very popular TV show introduced the brand as one of the best Ttoekbokki (rice cake with hot sauce) providers in Korea. As K-Pop and Korean culture becomes increasingly popular across the globe, so are Korean street food restaurants. Site Visit to CJ Freshway Hosts: Mr Ahn Myung-dong, Senior Manager Website: http://www.cjfreshway.com/en CJ Freshway Corporation is a Korea-based company engaged in the food distribution business and catering business. The Company's food distribution business primarily distributes processed food, agricultural products, seafood, livestock products and kitchen utensils to food distribution agencies, food service providers, franchised restaurants and general restaurants. Its catering business provides food services focusing on meal services for organizations such as the management of in-house cafeterias in office buildings, companies, factories and hospitals. It also provides design, consulting and engineering of restaurants, as well as restaurant operation consulting services. CJ Freshway is rumored to be taking over the restaurant business from CJ Foodville. These restaurant brands include: • Tours Le Jour (window bakery) • Bibigo (bibimbap) • VIPS (family restaurant) • The Place (Italian) • A Twosome Place (cakes, desert, coffee) Suite 1705, Officia Building, 92, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea 03186 서울시 종로구 신문로 1 가 163 광화문 오피시아빌딩, 1705 호 Tel: +82-2-737-3222, www.ircconsultingkorea.com RAS Korea Matchmaking Trip Final Report, Revised 4 May 2018 Page 6 of 13 Presentation by LOTTE Global Restaurant Service Host: Mr Sung Yongwook, Team Leader (Manager) Since opening the Sogong branch of LOTTERIA, the country's first-ever hamburger franchise, in 1979, LOTTE GRS has been creating a new food culture and leading the growth of the Korean restaurant industry under a motto that reflects its corporate philosophy of prioritizing customer satisfaction. By pursuing the highest-quality products, clean restaurant environments, and customer service with kindness and a bright smile, Lotte GRS puts forth continuous efforts to meet society's ever-changing needs. For the past 38 years, it has successfully launched a vast array of Korean restaurant brands aside from LOTTERIA, including Angel-in-us Coffee, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Natuur-pop, T.G.I. Fridays, Villa de CharlLOTTE and The Food House. It is through this that LOTTERIA is growing into a trusted and beloved restaurant business company. In addition, through continuously pursuing overseas expansion and investments, it now operates over 290 taste-bud-grabbing stores in seven countries outside of Korea, including Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Laos, and China. It will continue to utilize the know-how it has accumulated in leading the Korean restaurant industry to take a bigger leap to become one of the most recognized and loved restaurant corporations, not only in Korea, but also around the globe. Lunch & Site Visit to Maple Tree House Host: Mr Paul Hong, Owner Website: http://www.mapletreehouse.co.kr/eng Maple Tree House is a premium Korean barbeque restaurant chain operating in Korea since 2005. Starting from a quaint small house in Seoul, they began their journey in becoming a “must go” premium barbeque destination for both Koreans and foreigners alike.