GEN Korean BBQ Expands Internationally with Three New South Korean Locations
Expansion Announcement: GEN Restaurant Group, Inc. has announced the grand opening of three new international locations in South Korea, including two GEN Korean BBQ and one KAN Sushi restaurant, marking a significant milestone for the company.
Company Background: Founded in 2011, GEN Korean BBQ is a leading Asian casual dining concept in the U.S., known for its interactive "grill at your table" experience and extensive menu featuring traditional Korean cuisine.
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GEN Restaurant Group Q4 2025 Earnings Call Insights
- Revenue Shortfall: GEN Restaurant Group reported total revenue of $49.7 million for Q4 2025, falling short of analysts' expectations of $60.35 million, reflecting significant customer traffic reductions due to immigration enforcement and rising fuel prices, contributing to an 11.6% decline in same-store sales.
- Strategic Partnership: The company entered into a joint venture with Chubby Cattle International to convert five underperforming restaurants into profitable entities, resulting in a $4.5 million write-down, but expected to generate strong future EBITDA, showcasing a proactive approach to portfolio management.
- CPG Business Expansion: GEN's CPG business has expanded to over 800 locations, with projections to reach 1,500 to 2,000 locations by the end of 2026, aiming for over $100 million in annual revenue within three years, indicating strong confidence in long-term growth prospects.
- Cost Pressures and Profitability Compression: Despite achieving an adjusted EBITDA of $3.9 million, or 7.9% of total revenue in Q4, rising costs have compressed overall profitability, with management anticipating measures to improve margins in 2026 amidst ongoing inflationary pressures.
GEN Restaurant Group aims for $220M–$225M in revenue by 2025 with rapid grocery expansion.
Management Insights: CEO Wook Kim highlighted the challenging restaurant environment but noted the successful opening of 15 new restaurants in 2025, exceeding initial estimates. The company is also launching ready-to-cook Korean meats in 600 grocery stores, anticipating significant revenue growth from this initiative.
Financial Performance: GEN Restaurant Group reported a 2.7% increase in total revenue to $50.4 million for Q3 2025, but same-store sales declined by 9.9%. The company experienced a net loss of $3.9 million, contrasting with a profit in the same quarter last year.
Future Outlook: Management plans to open 2 additional stores by year-end, aiming for a total of 17 new restaurants in 2025. They project full-year revenues between $220 million and $225 million, while also indicating a potential slowdown in growth plans for 2026 if economic conditions do not improve.
Risks and Concerns: Analysts raised concerns about ongoing macroeconomic pressures affecting sales and the viability of new units. The company faces rising costs and is considering operational improvements and grocery initiatives as a response to these challenges.
GEN Restaurant Group Scheduled to Host Q3 2025 Conference Call on Friday, November 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET
Conference Call Announcement: GEN Restaurant Group, Inc. will hold a conference call on November 7, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss its third-quarter financial results for 2025, with a press release to be issued beforehand.
Leadership Participation: The call will be hosted by Chairman and CEO David Kim and CFO Tom Croal, followed by a question-and-answer session for participants.
Access Information: Interested parties can join the call via toll-free or international dial-in numbers, and it will also be available for live streaming and replay on the company's website.
Company Overview: GEN Korean BBQ, founded in 2011, has grown to over 57 locations in the U.S., offering a unique dining experience where guests grill their own meals at the table, featuring a diverse menu of Korean and Korean-American cuisine.
GEN Korean BBQ Expands Ready-to-Cook Product Line to 600 Grocery Stores by Adding 300 Safeway Locations
Expansion of Retail Presence: GEN Korean BBQ has partnered with 300 Safeway stores, adding to its existing partnerships with 300 Pavilions, Albertsons, and Vons stores, bringing its total grocery retail distribution to 600 stores in California and Hawaii.
Launch of Ready-to-Cook Meats: The company's new Ready-to-Cook Meats line, launched just last month, will be available in the newly partnered Safeway stores by the end of November 2025.
Consumer Demand and Growth Strategy: CEO David Kim highlighted the rapid expansion as a response to strong consumer demand for authentic Korean BBQ and the effectiveness of GEN's growth strategy.
About GEN Korean BBQ: Founded in 2011, GEN Korean BBQ has grown to 57 locations in the U.S., offering a unique dining experience where guests cook their meals at the table, featuring a menu of traditional Korean and Korean-American dishes.
GEN Korean BBQ Grows from 31 to 300 Grocery Locations in Response to Increased Demand
Expansion of Retail Presence: GEN Korean BBQ has significantly expanded its grocery retail presence by partnering with Pavilions, Albertsons, and Vons, increasing availability of its Ready-to-Cook Meats from 31 to over 300 locations in Southern California within weeks.
Growing Demand for Korean Cuisine: The demand for Korean food is surging in the U.S., with 61% of Americans expressing interest in trying Korean dishes, contributing to the growth of GEN's brand recognition and retail momentum, as well as the overall expansion of ethnic food sections in supermarkets.
GEN Korean BBQ Introduces Retail Product in Partnership with Pavilions Grocery Store
Expansion of Product Offerings: GEN Restaurant Group, Inc. announced the launch of ready-to-cook meats at 31 Pavilions Grocery stores in Southern California, with plans to expand to 350 grocery stores in the Western states by mid-2026.
Brand Background: GEN Korean BBQ, founded in 2011, is a leading Asian casual dining concept in the U.S., known for its interactive dining experience where guests grill their own meals at the table.
GEN Restaurant Group Q4 2025 Earnings Call Insights
- Revenue Shortfall: GEN Restaurant Group reported total revenue of $49.7 million for Q4 2025, falling short of analysts' expectations of $60.35 million, reflecting significant customer traffic reductions due to immigration enforcement and rising fuel prices, contributing to an 11.6% decline in same-store sales.
- Strategic Partnership: The company entered into a joint venture with Chubby Cattle International to convert five underperforming restaurants into profitable entities, resulting in a $4.5 million write-down, but expected to generate strong future EBITDA, showcasing a proactive approach to portfolio management.
- CPG Business Expansion: GEN's CPG business has expanded to over 800 locations, with projections to reach 1,500 to 2,000 locations by the end of 2026, aiming for over $100 million in annual revenue within three years, indicating strong confidence in long-term growth prospects.
- Cost Pressures and Profitability Compression: Despite achieving an adjusted EBITDA of $3.9 million, or 7.9% of total revenue in Q4, rising costs have compressed overall profitability, with management anticipating measures to improve margins in 2026 amidst ongoing inflationary pressures.
GEN Restaurant Group aims for $220M–$225M in revenue by 2025 with rapid grocery expansion.
Management Insights: CEO Wook Kim highlighted the challenging restaurant environment but noted the successful opening of 15 new restaurants in 2025, exceeding initial estimates. The company is also launching ready-to-cook Korean meats in 600 grocery stores, anticipating significant revenue growth from this initiative.
Financial Performance: GEN Restaurant Group reported a 2.7% increase in total revenue to $50.4 million for Q3 2025, but same-store sales declined by 9.9%. The company experienced a net loss of $3.9 million, contrasting with a profit in the same quarter last year.
Future Outlook: Management plans to open 2 additional stores by year-end, aiming for a total of 17 new restaurants in 2025. They project full-year revenues between $220 million and $225 million, while also indicating a potential slowdown in growth plans for 2026 if economic conditions do not improve.
Risks and Concerns: Analysts raised concerns about ongoing macroeconomic pressures affecting sales and the viability of new units. The company faces rising costs and is considering operational improvements and grocery initiatives as a response to these challenges.
GEN Restaurant Group Scheduled to Host Q3 2025 Conference Call on Friday, November 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET
Conference Call Announcement: GEN Restaurant Group, Inc. will hold a conference call on November 7, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss its third-quarter financial results for 2025, with a press release to be issued beforehand.
Leadership Participation: The call will be hosted by Chairman and CEO David Kim and CFO Tom Croal, followed by a question-and-answer session for participants.
Access Information: Interested parties can join the call via toll-free or international dial-in numbers, and it will also be available for live streaming and replay on the company's website.
Company Overview: GEN Korean BBQ, founded in 2011, has grown to over 57 locations in the U.S., offering a unique dining experience where guests grill their own meals at the table, featuring a diverse menu of Korean and Korean-American cuisine.
GEN Korean BBQ Expands Ready-to-Cook Product Line to 600 Grocery Stores by Adding 300 Safeway Locations
Expansion of Retail Presence: GEN Korean BBQ has partnered with 300 Safeway stores, adding to its existing partnerships with 300 Pavilions, Albertsons, and Vons stores, bringing its total grocery retail distribution to 600 stores in California and Hawaii.
Launch of Ready-to-Cook Meats: The company's new Ready-to-Cook Meats line, launched just last month, will be available in the newly partnered Safeway stores by the end of November 2025.
Consumer Demand and Growth Strategy: CEO David Kim highlighted the rapid expansion as a response to strong consumer demand for authentic Korean BBQ and the effectiveness of GEN's growth strategy.
About GEN Korean BBQ: Founded in 2011, GEN Korean BBQ has grown to 57 locations in the U.S., offering a unique dining experience where guests cook their meals at the table, featuring a menu of traditional Korean and Korean-American dishes.
GEN Korean BBQ Grows from 31 to 300 Grocery Locations in Response to Increased Demand
Expansion of Retail Presence: GEN Korean BBQ has significantly expanded its grocery retail presence by partnering with Pavilions, Albertsons, and Vons, increasing availability of its Ready-to-Cook Meats from 31 to over 300 locations in Southern California within weeks.
Growing Demand for Korean Cuisine: The demand for Korean food is surging in the U.S., with 61% of Americans expressing interest in trying Korean dishes, contributing to the growth of GEN's brand recognition and retail momentum, as well as the overall expansion of ethnic food sections in supermarkets.
GEN Korean BBQ Introduces Retail Product in Partnership with Pavilions Grocery Store
Expansion of Product Offerings: GEN Restaurant Group, Inc. announced the launch of ready-to-cook meats at 31 Pavilions Grocery stores in Southern California, with plans to expand to 350 grocery stores in the Western states by mid-2026.
Brand Background: GEN Korean BBQ, founded in 2011, is a leading Asian casual dining concept in the U.S., known for its interactive dining experience where guests grill their own meals at the table.
