Unlike domestic stores, the outlet operates as an instant hot deli

Soft opening draws strong response, with further expansion plans underway

Samjinfood CEO Park Yong-jun announces plans to expand the company's business in China at the opening ceremony for the first Samjin Eomuk store in the Huadong region, held in Shanghai on Friday. [Samjinfood]
Samjinfood CEO Park Yong-jun announces plans to expand the company's business in China at the opening ceremony for the first Samjin Eomuk store in the Huadong region, held in Shanghai on Friday. [Samjinfood]

Samjinfood officially opened its first Samjin Eomuk store in the Huadong region in a prime Shanghai shopping district on Friday, the company announced Monday. Through the new store, Samjinfood aims to expand its reach among Chinese consumers and establish a store operating model suited to the local market as a foundation for broader expansion in China.

The Huadong No. 1 store is located on the second below-ground floor of the New World Dawan Department Store on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai's Huangpu District. The store covers about 40 square meters and sits near Nanjing Road, one of Shanghai's premier shopping streets, and the Bund, a major tourist landmark.

Unlike Samjinfood's directly operated domestic stores, the Huadong outlet runs as an instant hot deli, where products are cooked to order so customers can enjoy freshly prepared fish cakes on the spot. The company has applied a standardized operating model designed with efficiency and future scalability in mind.

The menu features 14 items in total: nine hot deli products including fish cake croquettes and hot bars, two stir-fried fish cake dishes, one fish cake soup and two beverages. The lineup centers on the signature fish cake croquette and emphasizes easy-to-eat made-to-order items, alongside menu options tailored to local tastes.

The store's headline offerings include a cheese croquette, which draws on the locally popular ingredient, and a rose-sauce stir-fried fish cake known for its smooth, creamy flavor. Other products such as the "Eotteokeotteokeoba" bar and the original fish cake soup round out the menu, introducing Chinese consumers to the taste and appeal of Korean fish cakes.

During the soft opening ahead of the official launch, the store met its daily sales targets from the outset, confirming a positive response from local customers and a steady upward sales trend. Building on those results, Samjinfood plans to refine its product lineup and store operations to sustain sales growth after the official opening.

"We plan to use the Huadong No. 1 store as a key base for expanding into the Chinese market and to continuously refine our store operating model based on local consumer preferences and operational data," CEO Park Yong-jun said. "We will pursue additional store openings in China this year and, through collaboration with local partners, strengthen the business foundation spanning both stores and retail channels."


alsgp9737@heraldcorp.com