Blog 3: 떡볶이(Tteok-bokki) Franchise

One of famous food in Korea is 떡볶이(Tteok-bokki ). It made by rice cake and Korean’s red pepper paste, named 고추장. It is very familiar to Koreans because there were Tteok-bokki  stores in front of every elementary school. Until I graduated the elementary school, the Tteok-bokki  store in front of my school was the only one I know. However, from about 10 years ago, franchises of Tteok-bokki  were founded. No one thought that Tteok-bokki  became one of very popular industries. Though that, there were someone who did challenge. There are very famous 3 Tteok-bokki  stores.

아딸(Addal) is the one of famous Tteok-bokki  stores. Addal is the oldest Tteok-bokki  shop. The name of store means that ‘dad makes fried food, and daughter makes Tteok-bokki ’. The father in law of Addal CEO owned a fried food shop, but in 2002, the Addal CEO opened the first Addal with his family. The mission statement is that ‘Make the world which all families are happy by eating healthy and fresh food’. It focuses on the taste of food and the health of family. For globalization of Tteok-bokki , they created new menus a lot. They tried very hard so they could get success. Creating new menus was not only for globalization but also for their competitive power. They could get distinctive characteristic by making new menus.

죠스떡볶이(Jaws Tteok-bokki ) is also famous one. The name has not special meaning. When it was made at first, the founder vowed to use only fresh ingredients for avoiding a preconception that Tteok-bokki  was dirty because it was sold in streets. They are focusing on the operation system so their mission statement might be that ‘Own by the best’. They made the most optimized management system. The feature which only Jaws Tteok-bokki  has is professional. They have not various menus but they only focus on basic menus, Tteok-bokki , 튀김(Fried foods), 순대(The pork or the beef roll), 어묵(boiled fish paste).

어묵(boiled fish paste)

떡볶이(Tteok-bokki )

순대(The pork roll)

튀김(Fried Foods)

국대떡볶이(Kukde Tteok-bokki ) is the last one. 국대(Kukde) is the abbreviation of 국가대표(the representative of nation). The mission statement of Kukde Tteok-bokki  is that ‘Humility, Appreciation and Distribution’. They focus on an original Tteok-bokki  shop like was in front of an elementary school. Their interior is the distinctive feature. They put antique chairs and tables, and they use old days’ font.

Not only those distinctive features of each stores, but also they have different tastes. Although these differences, they have similar things. They are all doing social contribution activities. Addal does various social contribution activities like regular support to orphanages. Jaws Tteok-bokki  does also support to orphanages, and Kukde Tteok-bokki  aids 2~4 children through ‘World Vision(NGO)’.

Nowadays, there are many Tteok-bokki  franchises in Korea. They have their own distinctiveness, for example some stores sell much spicy or some stores make Tteok-bokki  on customers’ tables just after they get order. Among many similar competitive companies, having their own distinctive features is the only way to get success. In sum, it can be applied to many various industries. Differentiation is the most important thing to marketing. 

Pictures from : http://cafe.daum.net/truepicture/Qt7/981976?q=%B6%B1%BA%BA%C0%CC&re=1
                        http://www.addal.co.kr
                         http://www.jawsfood.co.kr
                        http://www.kukde.co.kr