[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Kyochon Chicken, one of South Korea’s largest fried chicken franchises, is set to form a strategic partnership with delivery platform Baedal Minjok (Baemin) as early as next month. The agreement is expected to include reduced commission fees for franchise owners and joint promotions—on the condition that Kyochon withdraws from Coupang Eats, a rival platform.
This marks the first time a leading delivery app has offered preferential treatment to a major franchise in exchange for exclusivity, signaling a potential shift in the competitive landscape of the Korean food delivery market.
According to sources in the delivery and franchise industries on June 25, Kyochon F&B is in final talks with Woowa Brothers, the operator of Baemin, to formalize the partnership. The collaboration is expected to offer benefits such as lower commission rates, co-branded promotional campaigns, and customer incentives aimed at boosting online sales for Kyochon’s franchisees.
Under the terms of the deal, participating Kyochon locations will cease operations on Coupang Eats but may remain available on other platforms such as Yogiyo, Baek’s DdaengGyeoYo, and Kyochon’s own app. The agreement reportedly does not include mandatory exclusivity clauses, although most franchisees have expressed support for the plan.
The partnership is anticipated to strengthen Kyochon’s online presence while enabling Baemin to solidify its leadership position in the food delivery sector. Joint discounts and reduced fees are expected to attract new customers and improve profitability for franchisees.
Baemin currently applies a tiered commission structure ranging from 2.0% to 7.8%, similar to Coupang Eats. Industry observers are closely watching this development, as it represents the first time a major franchise brand has publicly chosen one platform over another in a strategic move—unlike past cases such as Blue Bottle or Starbucks, which initially launched on Baemin but later expanded to other platforms.
알파경제 Paul Lee 특파원(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
