Kyochon Holds Franchise Mutual-Growth Council to Discuss Stabilizing Operations
![Kyochon F&B headquarters officials and representatives from the franchise communication committee and regional councils posed for a commemorative photo at the Franchise Mutual-Growth Council held at the Kyochon Osan Training Center on the 7th. [Photo: Kyochon F&B]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-f0294f9d-2e64-45f9-8f64-8eb7dda205ec.jpeg)
Kyochon F&B—the company behind Kyochon Chicken—said on the 9th that it convened a \"Franchise Mutual-Growth Council\" to deepen cooperation with franchisees and map out measures to tackle raw-material supply instability and expand support.
With franchisee relationships front of mind, Kyochon F&B announced the council as part of its effort to strengthen collaboration and identify concrete ways to respond to supply disruptions and provide aid.
About 30 franchise owners attended the meeting at the Osan Training Center in Gyeonggi Province on the 7th, joined by headquarters officials including Lee Sang-ro, head of domestic business. Participants shared concerns about supply instability triggered by a prolonged avian influenza (AI) outbreak, geopolitical instability in the Middle East, and a strong exchange rate.
To ease the burden of rising costs, Kyochon is maintaining a cap on wholesale prices and has the headquarters absorb increases in raw-material prices. At the same time, the company is developing menu options that can help mitigate supply risks and boost operational stability for franchisees.
Support measures will continue: subsidies for dedicated cooking oil have been extended through the first half of this year, with headquarters covering 50% of the price increase, and adjustments to the supply price of auxiliary materials will be put on hold for the time being.
Kyochon’s financial support has been expanding. Last year, the company provided about 14 billion KRW (about 10.5 million USD) in assistance—through measures such as lowering the price of dedicated cooking oil and absorbing raw-material cost increases—and it disbursed roughly 5.7 billion KRW (about 4.275 million USD) in the first quarter of this year. The cumulative support stands at around 20 billion KRW (about 15 million USD).
\"We're continuing practical, on-the-ground support based on franchise feedback,\" a Kyochon F&B official said. \"We'll strengthen our partnership with franchisees and work together to navigate this challenging business environment.\"
“From Royal Nutritional Dishes to Everyday Tables”…Hanwoo’s Value Proven by Tradition and Science
![Grilled Hanwoo [Photo: Hanwoo Beef Fund]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-9ae52eae-d957-45fb-8fe5-9490e10212f8.jpeg)
As modern eating habits evolve beyond mere fullness to prioritize quality, nutrition, and meaning, Hanwoo (Korean beef) is standing out as an ingredient validated by both tradition and science.
The Hanwoo Beef Management Committee said on the 9th that Hanwoo has been used as a restorative food long before modern nutrition science existed. Numerous Joseon-era medical and culinary texts record beef as an ingredient for restoring vigor. In agrarian societies, cattle provided both labor and food and were regarded as a \"walking pharmacy,\" used from head to tail.
Classical works like Donguibogam and Hyangyak Guguibang document the use of organs—liver, kidneys, bones, and marrow—as medicinal ingredients. The ox gallstone, known as uhwang, was used as a fever reducer and sedative, and its use is recorded in the Joseon Annals.
Beef also played a major role in royal nutrition. Records show provinces sent beef to the court to help maintain the king's strength, and the palace reportedly consumed multiple cattle a day. Jeonyak, a royal tonic made by mixing adhesive from cattle hide with medicinal herbs, became a hallmark of courtly restorative cuisine.
That culinary tradition helped drive improvements in Hanwoo quality. As beef became essential for rituals and hospitality, selective breeding and careful stock selection followed, leading to breed enhancement and higher-quality cattle.
Today, science backs up Hanwoo’s reputation: its high oleic acid content—a monounsaturated fatty acid—contributes to exceptional flavor and tender texture, a distinctive advantage on the global stage.
\"Hanwoo is a premium ingredient refined through a long history of restorative use and strict selection and breeding,\" said Min Kyung-chun, chair of the Hanwoo Beef Management Committee. \"Grounded in tradition and science, Hanwoo will continue to hold its competitive edge internationally.\"
Samlip and Maeil Dairies’ Sangha Cheese Team Up to Launch 'Cheese in the Garden' Salad
![\'Cheese in the Garden\' salad [Photo: Samlip]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-a83b41e9-6b44-4a6c-84c7-a7446c720a72.jpeg)
Samlip’s wellness brand Pig in the Garden said on the 9th that it partnered with Maeil Dairies’ cheese brand Sangha Cheese to launch a premium salad line called Cheese in the Garden.
The collaboration blends fresh greens—iceberg, frill lettuces, cabbage, and red cabbage—with Sangha Cheese to boost flavor. The product name itself fuses both brands: Cheese in the Garden.
The new lineup includes two varieties: Cheese in the Garden Mac & Cheese & Chicken Tender Salad and Cheese in the Garden Double Cheese & Basil Chicken Salad. The Mac & Cheese & Chicken Tender Salad pairs hot chicken tenders with a quattro‑fondue mac & cheese made from cheddar, gouda, camembert, and emmental for a rich, comforting bite. The Double Cheese & Basil Chicken Salad uses mozzarella and cheddar to highlight a creamy, savory note and is served with basil chicken.
Both options are finished with black olives and oven-dried tomatoes for added umami and come with a choice of collagen balsamic or oriental dressing. They’re available at convenience stores nationwide.
\"We paired cheeses that complement salads to deliver on flavor, nutrition, and convenience,\" a Samlip spokesperson said. \"Through this collaboration with Sangha Cheese, we aim to amplify brand synergy and keep expanding products that ride the wellness trend.\"
Ottogi’s 'Jinmilmyeon' Surpasses 3 Million Units Sold 25 Days After Launch
![Ottogi \'Jinmilmyeon\' model, comedian Heo Kyung-hwan [Photo: Ottogi]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/04/CP-2023-0070/image-adf6d936-99f0-4dfd-bf02-24b3b9e428dc.jpeg)
Ottogi said on the 9th that its summer launch Jinmilmyeon surpassed 3 million cumulative units sold just 25 days after release.
Released on March 16, Jinmilmyeon sold out during a Coupang pre-release and attracted strong early interest. As offline distribution ramped up, sales accelerated and quickly topped 3 million units. Word-of-mouth in the Yeongnam region—including Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam—praising the product’s faithful recreation of local milmyeon flavors helped fuel the surge.
Jinmilmyeon features noodles made from wheat blended with sweet potato and potato starch for a chewy, satisfying bite, paired with a secret bone-broth soup brewed from ox leg bone and brisket to deliver deep umami. Consumers can enjoy it two ways—mixed with a spicy sauce as bibim style or in chilled broth as mul style—giving shoppers flexible serving options.
\"Jinmilmyeon quickly won over consumers in the Yeongnam region and achieved meaningful results in a short time,\" an Ottogi representative said. \"We plan to expand the brand experience so people can enjoy it across occasions like camping and late‑night snacking.\"
