bhc's outlet inside H Mart in San Francisco / Courtesy of bhc
To conquer the hypercompetitive American appetite for Korean fried chicken, one of Korea’s largest food service giants is trying a more pedestrian strategy: setting up shop next to the grocery aisles.
The major Korean chain bhc opened its first outlet inside H Mart’s San Francisco outpost, marking the brand’s debut within the largest Asian supermarket network in the United States.
Occupying a modest 440 square feet in the store’s bustling food court, the counter-and-kiosk operation is bhc’s first food-court-style location in the country, adding to the full-service and fast-casual restaurants it already operates. The location, which opened in early May, is also the company’s first foothold in San Francisco. Since its launch, the outlet has drawn steady lines, the company said.
H Mart operates more than 100 stores across the United States, serving both a large diaspora and a swelling base of non-Korean consumers drawn to the country’s culinary exports. For bhc, setting up inside the grocery giant allows it to capitalize on existing foot traffic.
