Major fried chicken brand Genesis BBQ (BBQ) has signed a deal to open its first restaurant in South Africa, marking the start of its expansion across the African continent.
The Korean franchise announced Wednesday that it signed a master franchise agreement with Good Tree South Africa, a distributor of Korean food products in the country.
Genesis BBQ Chairman Yoon Hong-geun and Good Tree South Africa CEO Lee Dong-il attended the signing ceremony at the company’s headquarters in Seoul’s Songpa District on Nov. 5.
Under the agreement, Good Tree South Africa will operate the restaurants and pay royalties to the Korean chain.
Genesis BBQ cited South Africa’s population of over 63 million and a median age of 28 as indicators of high growth potential. The company referenced the 2024 SAPA Annual Report, which showed the country’s average annual chicken consumption is 36 kilograms per person.
This figure accounts for more than half of the total meat consumed by the average South African. It is also significantly higher than the global average of 14.6 kilograms and even surpasses consumption in Korea, which stands at 16.2 kilograms annually.
Genesis BBQ stated that Good Tree South Africa plans to open restaurants in major cities, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Bloemfontein.
“South Africa is our strategic cornerstone for expanding into the African market and promoting K-food globally,” said Chairman Yoon. “We’ll introduce new localized menu items and spread Korean food culture centered on K-chicken.”
Genesis BBQ currently operates 2,400 restaurants in Korea and about 700 overseas across 57 countries. This includes roughly 250 locations across 30 U.S. states and more than 100 in Canada.