The South Korean porridge eatery Bonjuk – which boasts more than 2000 locations in its home country – has quietly opened its first Australian location in Haymarket, Sydney.
Serving its famous Juk dish, Bonjuk’s expansion into Australia – led by its parent company, Bonworld – was announced without fanfare.
But the company’s head of global business, Kay Park, told Inside Retail that it could be the start of a wider Australian operation.
“Australia is currently one of our key focus markets,” Park said. “Starting with Sydney, we plan to gradually expand into other major cities such as Melbourne and Brisbane, based on market response and operational stability.”
Park said that Australia’s growing interest in Korean food and health-focused dining is behind the potential the company sees.
“In addition, Sydney’s multicultural environment makes it an ideal starting point for introducing our brand,” they added.
While typically expanding into new countries through master franchise agreements, Bonworld said that this opening was done independently. Any further locations, however, will be done through a franchise arrangement with an unnamed partner.
Source: Franchise Executives
