Chairman Yoon says, “We will strengthen ESG management suitable for global restaurant companies”

The chicken franchise Genesis BBQ Group delivered a certificate of "Chicken Pension" to 19 Beijing Olympic medalists, including Choi Min-jung and Hwang Dae-heon, at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul on April 21.

The "Chicken Pension" was a promise Chairman Yoon Hong-geun made to restore calm and boost morale of national team players who were disadvantaged by China's blatant biased judgment, the venue of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Genesis BBQ Chairman Yoon Hong-geun (center) poses with short track speed skaters Hwang Dae-heon (left) and Choi Min-jeong (right) during a ceremony in Seoul on April 21, 2022, after presenting BBQ chicken coupons to them as rewards for winning gold medals at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Genesis BBQ Chairman Yoon Hong-geun (center) poses with short track speed skaters Hwang Dae-heon (left) and Choi Min-jeong (right) during a ceremony in Seoul on April 21, 2022, after presenting BBQ chicken coupons to them as rewards for winning gold medals at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Yoon, who was the head of the South Korean delegation to the Beijing Winter Olympics in February and also president of the Korea Skating Union (KSU), had made a grand promise to athletes during the competition: Win a gold, and you will get free fried chicken for life.

Genesis BBQ said the two athletes will receive 30,000 won (US$24.30) worth of BBQ membership points every day until they turn 60. Choi is 23 and Hwang is 22.

The company said it settled on 30,000 won considering prices of chicken, inflation and delivery fees, and added the amount will increase if the prices of BBQ chicken dishes go up.

Chairman Yoon said, "If we can give hope and courage to the people who are struggling due to COVID-19, we will generously support them even at a large cost like the chicken pension, and if this opportunity comes again, we will strengthen ESG management suitable for global restaurant companies."

Chairman Yoon stressed that his dream and vision is to open 50,000 stores around the world by 2025, and to grow BBQ into a "global franchise that surpasses McDonald's" and "post Samsung Electronics."

Starting with its entry into China in 2003, BBQ currently operates more than 500 franchises (as of the end of last year) in 57 countries. It plans to double its global stores to 1,000 this year. Its sales target is also set at 600 billion won, up 50 percent from last year.

저작권자 © The Korea Post 무단전재 및 재배포 금지