Saturated Food Service Industry Sees Shift in Promising Startup Items, 'Misari Milbit Chilled Noodle Soup' Emerges as Trending Franchise

Few countries have as many self-employed workers in the food service industry as Korea does. According to one statistic, Korea has approximately 125 restaurants per 10,000 people. As corporations undergo restructuring due to economic downturns and workers struggle to find suitable jobs, increasing numbers of people have entered the food service industry, resulting in an excessive number of restaurants per capita.

The total number of restaurants increased steadily from approximately 580,000 in 2007, and as of 2016, it is estimated to exceed 670,000. Notably, the number of food service franchise chain outlets has surged at an average annual rate of 26.0% over the past five years. This trend appears to stem from the belief that one can start relatively easily with the know-how and support of the franchisor's headquarters without requiring specialized technical skills.

In response, startup experts advise carefully examining the differentiation of items, as well as the sales, profit structures, and operating systems of both flagship and chain stores when selecting promising franchise brands. However, they emphasize that for successful food service and restaurant chain startup ventures in the midst of intense competition, attention should be paid to restaurants verified by numerous consumers and trending franchises.

Among these, 'Misari Milbit Chilled Noodle Soup' (hereinafter referred to as Milbit Chilled Noodle Soup), which offers Korea's first patented chilled noodle soup, is drawing attention. The brand has gained a reputation as a unique delicacy for enjoying a refreshing taste during summer, and in the food service franchise startup market, it is receiving acclaim as a trending startup item for pioneering a new blue ocean in the noodle category.

In particular, the Misari flagship store and various chain outlets are attracting crowds with high sales figures. According to the brand, the Misari flagship store achieved table turnover of up to 20 times per day, maximum daily sales of 26 million won, and annual sales of 2.1 billion won, while a chain outlet in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, achieved annual sales in the mid-2 billion won range.

Additionally, the fact that Milbit Chilled Noodle Soup has established a logistics system for mutual prosperity with chain outlets is noteworthy. Rather than outsourcing food material manufacturing and processing, the company operates its own factory (HACCP-certified) and pursues a policy of lowering unit costs through bulk procurement of raw materials, minimizing the company's margins while improving chain outlet profitability.

As a distinctive operational advantage for chain outlets, approximately 80% of the cooking process, including broth preparation, aging of major ingredients, and seasoning of garnishes, is completed at the factory before being supplied to chain outlets. At the store, staff primarily just boil the noodles after receiving orders. Additionally, after approximately seven days of company training, even novice entrepreneurs with no food service experience can manage kitchen operations without difficulty.

A brand representative stated, "Noodles are an item with broad consumer preference and stable demand, and they are popular in the food service franchise startup market for small-scale startups, male low-capital startups, and female low-capital startups. However, ultimately, differentiated menu concepts and taste are the key to successful startup ventures." The representative added, "Milbit Chilled Noodle Soup allows chain outlet establishment from a minimum of 20 pyeong (approximately 66 square meters), and with its simplified cooking system featuring low operational difficulty, it offers advantages as a housewife startup and female entrepreneur startup item."

The representative continued, "Inquiries about opening chain outlets from prospective entrepreneurs planning their first food service startup, as well as from established food service business owners hoping to transition to a different business type, have been brisk. When existing food service establishments undergo renovation and transition to Milbit Chilled Noodle Soup, low-cost business conversion startup is possible by simply changing signage and internal signage and purchasing essential fixtures."