Baek Jong-won, CEO of DBKorea, is accelerating efforts to penetrate international markets with his 'TBK sauce.' He is directly visiting restaurants in the U.S. to propose menu items and cooking methods that utilize the sauce, thereby broadening connections with local dining establishments.
On August 12, DBKorea announced that Baek visited the 'Oshigye' restaurant in Los Angeles, where he discussed menu options and product supply collaborations with chefs using TBK sauce.
After assessing the kitchen environment, staff, and menu composition, Baek suggested 11 types of TBK sauce along with Korean recipes and cooking methods tailored to local conditions. This approach expands B2B discussions, traditionally focused on overseas distribution companies, to include local restaurants where actual cooking takes place. The goal is to provide restaurant consulting that addresses staffing, ingredient sourcing, and flavor standardization issues alongside sauce supply.
TBK sauce is a B2B product developed to consistently deliver Korean flavors abroad. It includes 11 varieties such as kimchi powder, seasoned chicken, and rib marinade, and offers Korean recipes and cooking methods via QR codes. Baek announced plans last September to introduce the product in overseas markets and suggest menu items and cooking methods using local ingredients.
From September to November of last year, Baek visited Thailand, Taiwan, China, the U.S., and Canada to negotiate with local distributors and dining establishments. In Thailand, discussions are ongoing regarding placement in local distribution companies and global distributors' food courts, while in Taiwan, he proposed supplying sauces to rest area food courts.
In particular, negotiations are underway with local companies in North America and Thailand regarding product supply scope, distribution methods, and menu applications. DBKorea plans to review the possibility of signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) later this year after finalizing specific terms.
In June, Baek also launched a global Korean cuisine YouTube channel, 'TBK,' utilizing his intellectual property. The channel features Korean recipes and cooking processes using the 11 types of TBK sauce, presented with multilingual subtitles.
A DBKorea representative stated, 'Baek Jong-won is personally visiting overseas sites to introduce TBK sauce to local companies and dining establishments, confirming market demand and collaboration possibilities. We plan to solidify cooperation with overseas distributors while expanding connections with individual dining establishments.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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