 Bibigo, CJ Foodville’s new restaurant specializing in bibimbap, will open its first overseas branches in the U.S., China and Singapore in the second half of the year. / Courtesy of CJ Foodville |
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff reporter
Move over McDonald's burgers and Starbucks coffee, make way for Bibigo's bibimbap.
CJ Foodville, the country's leading food service company, launched a bibimbap-specialized restaurant Bibigo, with an eye firmly gazing on the overseas market.
CJ Foodville is hoping bibimbap, considered a representative Korean dish usually composed of rice, vegetables and chili pepper paste, will capture the tastebuds of people around the world.
In a press conference Monday, CJ Foodville representative Kim Il-cheon said he hopes that Bibigo will become a global Korean food brand in the future, much like McDonald's and Starbucks is for the United States.
The first Bibigo restaurant opened at the Officia building, Gwanghwamun in downtown Seoul, Monday. It will serve as a model for the future restaurants to be set up around the world.
However, the true test of Bibigo will be when it opens its first overseas outlets in the second half of the year. Bibigo locations are planned for Westwood, Los Angeles and Beijing in August, and Marina Bay Sands, Singapore in October.
Kim is confident about the prospects for Bibigo, especially with the global trend towards healthier and diet-friendly food.
CJ Foodville officials have projected opening 15 Bibigo restaurants in the U.S., China, Japan and Southeast Asia by 2011; 38 by 2012; 139 by 2013 and 500 by 2014.
By 2015, 1,000 Bibigo restaurants are projected to be up and running around the world. The drastic increase in the number of restaurants will be a result of joint venture and master franchise agreements.
Around 90 percent will be quick service restaurants, while the remaining will be full service restaurants. The Gwanghwamun restaurant is a combination of both, the first floor will feature a fast-food type setting where people can choose to dine in or take it to go. The second floor will be a full service restaurant, serving hot side dishes and makgeolli.
Bibigo's concept is all about health and freshness, with its tagline ``Korean Healthy Fresh Kitchen.'' The restaurants will have a modern and natural interior design, with lots of wood and minimalist Korean designs.
At Bibigo, diners can customize their own bibimbap dish. Fall in line at the counter, and choose from three types: bibigo rice, which is essentially a salad with a scoop of rice; the traditional bibimbap; and hot stone bibimbap.
Next, pick from four types of rice (white, black, brown and barley), four sauces (red pepper, ssam, green sesame and citron soy) and three toppings (bulgogi, chicken and tofu).
Aside from bibimbap, the menu also includes what is labeled as ``Korean tapas'' such as bulgogi, ``tteokbokeum'' spicy rice cakes, ``japchae'' or stir-fried potato noodles with vegetables, and fried dumplings.
The Korean government has been pushing for the globalization of Korean cuisine, but CJ Foodville is one of the first companies to undertake its own project. The company had previously seen mixed results from its previous efforts to open restaurants in China, Japan and U.S.
Bibigo is the culmination of the company's Korean Food Globalization Project, which started in January 2009. The company opened its Korean Food Research and Development Center in August 2009, and since then it has been conducting extensive research and tests for the restaurant's menu.
CJ Foodville, which was established in 1994, also operates other restaurant brands: Tous Les Jours, A Twosome Place, VIPs, The Place, China Factory, Fishers Market, Seafood Ocean and Cold Stone Creamery.
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