Flame Broiler Extends Brand Halo to North Korean Refugees

How far does your brand reach?  Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared can be found all around the world driving growth and extending the ‘halo’ of ‘better-4-you’ fresh food products according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. 

Now, Flame Broiler, which is popular for serving delicious, healthy Korean-inspired bowls with honest, simple ingredients, is proud to team up with Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) to launch 12,000 Simply Magic Sauce bottles benefitting the North Korean people.

So, while supplies last, Flame Broiler will donate 15% of the net proceeds from the sweet and flavorful Simply Magic Sauce bottle sold with the LiNK label. Additionally, Flame Broiler will make a $5 donation for each newsletter signup through the QR code on the Simply Magic Sauce bottle.

In case you did not know, LiNK is an organization that aids North Korean refugees to escape through secret rescue routes and empowers resettled North Koreans to become advocates and agents of change. LiNK is mobilizing a movement of allies to stand with the North Korean people until they achieve their freedom.

Since Flame Broiler’s founder, Young Lee, built his business upon the principles of better living that his own father instilled in him. Young’s father, a refugee who escaped North Korea in the mid-1990s, raised his family in South Korea. They then relocated to the United States, where Young fell in love with the diverse culture of Southern California and raised a family of his own. In 1995, Young opened the first Flame Broiler restaurant, bringing the food of his homeland to his new community. Young knew the value of freedom from his father and has worked to extend the gift of healthy living through simple, delicious food inspired by his Korean roots.

Young Lee, Flame Broiler Founder, stated, “It’s important to understand and empathize with the challenges that North Korean people continue to face. LiNK is doing extraordinary and life-changing work which means a lot to me and my own family’s story,” … “As my father was a North Korean refugee and built a better life for our family in the United States, we hope the launch of our partnership with LiNK will bring awareness and help Northern Koreans reach safety, freedom as well as success.”

LiNK President, Hannah Song expressed her excitement around the collaboration saying, “We are so thrilled to work alongside Flame Broiler and the Lee Family to accelerate change on this issue and to bring forth more attention and support for the North Korean people.

For international corporate presentations, regional chain presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert, and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit GrocerantGuru.com, FoodserviceSolutions.US or call 1-253-759-7869

Get the Supergroup BTS McDonald's Meal Now

McDonalds excels at expanding the brands reach, relevance, while refreshing its look.  That is the kind of restaurant industry leadership that was needed to stop the customer count migration from restaurants to other non-traditional fresh food retailers according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® while driving new electricity into brand messaging.

All restaurant brands increasingly need to build lasting partnership to drive top line sales and bottom-line profits according to Johnson.  In a battle for Share of Stomach branded retailers must have an understanding where the consumers shop, when they are thirsty, hungry and what music is ‘hot’ with their prime target customer. 

So, McDonald’s is a global brand, and is acting the way a global leader should by forming a partnership / collaboration the ‘hottest music group in the world right now,  21st century global pop icons, BTS.

Creating new electricity, this one-of-a-kind menu “tour” officially kicks off on May 26 in the U.S., when customers can enjoy the BTS Meal at participating restaurants nationwide. The superstar band’s signature order includes a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium World Famous Fries, medium Coke and for the first time ever in the U.S., Sweet Chili and Cajun dipping sauces inspired by popular recipes from McDonald’s South Korea. You had better get in line as this special might go fast.

“The band has great memories with McDonald’s. We’re excited about this collaboration and can’t wait to share the BTS Meal with the world,” says BIGHIT MUSIC, label of BTS.

Most of your kids know that since 2013, BTS has topped charts and brought people together from all over the world through their music and positive messages. Following the successful launch of McDonald’s celebrity signature orders program last year, BTS is the latest icon to have their signature menu items featured at participating restaurants. However, they’ll be the first celebs to share their order with customers worldwide. Meaning, for the first time since McDonald’s launched celebrity signature orders, the BTS Meal will be available globally in nearly 50 countries.

Over the next few months, customers everywhere will find themselves that much closer to their favorite artists.

“BTS truly lights up the world stage, uniting people across the globe through their music,” says Morgan Flatley, Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald’s USA. “We’re excited to bring customers even closer to their beloved band in a way only McDonald’s can – through our delicious food – when we introduce the BTS signature order on our menu next month."

U.S. customers will be able to order the BTS Meal in-restaurant, through contactless mobile order and pay in the McDonald’s App, at the Drive Thru or via McDelivery. So, mark your calendars for May 26, and be sure to keep an eye out on McDonald’s social channels (@mcdonalds) for regular updates on the collab, including even more surprises in the coming weeks.

How is your brand building new electricity? According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new menu related products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.”

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, music, developing brands, unique urban hemp clothing, grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different.  How is your brand building new electricity?

Don’t over reach. Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit us on our social media sites by clicking the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter