City Storage
City Storage (도시곳간) is a South Korean premium banchan franchise operating 55+ stores with same-day production, 500+ chef-developed recipes, and sub-brands Deli House and Gotgan Hansang. It serves urban consumers seeking fresh handmade side dishes and aspiring franchise entrepreneurs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What City Storage does
City Storage (도시곳간, Dosigotgan) is a South Korea-based premium banchan (side dish) retail franchise founded in 2021 and headquartered in Seoul (Gwangjin-gu). The company operates a same-day production/same-day sales model in which professional chefs prepare 300-500+ signature side dishes daily at each retail location, differentiating the offering from factory-processed competitors and meal kits. City Storage serves two primary customer segments: (1) urban consumers and families seeking fresh, in-store-prepared banchan, and (2) aspiring franchise entrepreneurs seeking a turnkey premium food retail business with corporate-provided training, recipes, and operational support.
The product portfolio is anchored by a proprietary library of 500+ recipes developed by professional chefs and refreshed on a seasonal and regional basis, complemented by 15+ private brand product categories (beverages, snacks, seasonings) developed with local small-scale producers. The company has expanded its surface area with two sub-brands — Deli House (델리하우스), a grab-and-go Korean deli express concept centered on mini kimbap, and Gotgan Hansang (곳간한상), a traditional Korean meal set brand using seasonal ingredients. Distribution is multi-channel and includes 55+ franchise stores across Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, and regional Korean cities, shop-in-shop concepts co-located with franchise stores, retail concessions in Lotte Mart, Lotte Department Store, Galleria, and GS The Fresh locations, an online storefront through Naver Smart Store, and delivery fulfillment via Baemin and Coupang Eats (reported 4.9 review rating).
City Storage monetizes primarily through franchise fees, ongoing royalties from its 55+ franchisee network, wholesale of PB products to franchisees, and direct-to-consumer retail and online sales. Franchise pricing is quote-based with multi-year contracts, plus variable construction/setup costs. The company has raised approximately KRW 4.65 billion (~$3.84 million) in disclosed funding across rounds from 2022 through 2024, anchored by a 3.1 billion KRW Series A in September 2023 with institutional investors including CJ Investment, JB Investment, Lotte Ventures, MYSC, and SparkLabs, followed by a $1.5 million round in August 2024 led by CJ Investment. Corporate headcount is reported at 11-50 employees, a lean structure consistent with an asset-light franchise platform.
City Storage firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- City Storage
- Legal name
- 주식회사 도시곳간
- Website
- https://dosigotgan.co.kr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- City Storage (도시곳간) is a South Korean premium banchan franchise operating 55+ stores with same-day production, 500+ chef-developed recipes, and sub-brands Deli House and Gotgan Hansang. It serves urban consumers seeking fresh handmade side dishes and aspiring franchise entrepreneurs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
City Storage industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Korean Side Dish Franchise
- NAICS
- Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Asian Fast Casual (Pan-Asian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Korean) (THAFABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Shelf-Stable Pantry Staples (Grains, Pasta, Rice, Beans, Canned Foods) (CRADAAAA)
Keywords
Where City Storage is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
City Storage business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Franchise Fees and Royalty: Revenue from franchise fees and ongoing royalties from franchisee network operations across 55+ locations in South Korea
- Retail Product Sales: Direct sales of fresh side dishes, PB products, and private brand items to end consumers through franchise stores
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Franchise partnership - individual store ownership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
City Storage product offering
Product offeringCore offering
City Storage (도시곳간) operates a premium Korean side dish (banchan) franchise with a same-day production and same-day sales model across 55+ locations in South Korea. The company offers 300-500+ signature recipes developed by professional chefs, complemented by 15+ private brand product categories including beverages, snacks, and seasonings sourced from local small-scale producers. Sub-brands Deli House (Korean deli express) and Gotgan Hansang (seasonal Korean meal sets) extend the offering.
Product overview
City Storage (도시곳간) is a premium side dish editing shop franchise operating on a same-day production/same-day sales model. The core offering consists of 300-500+ signature side dishes and menu items developed by professional chefs, complemented by sub-brands Deli House (grab-and-go Korean deli express) and Gotgan Hansang (seasonal Korean traditional meal sets). The business also offers 15+ private brand product categories and maintains a database of 500+ recipes. Franchisees receive comprehensive support including location analysis, store management, chef training, and menu development. The company operates over 55 stores nationwide and maintains an online presence through Naver Smart Store.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 델리하우스: Grab & go concept Korean deli express brand offering mini kimbap and various grab-and-go Korean style meals
- 곳간한상
Products and services
- City Storage (도시곳간) Premium Side Dish Shop Premium Korean side dish retail shop offering 300-500+ signature recipes prepared daily in-store by professional chefs, targeting urban consumers and families seeking fresh, handmade alternatives to factory-produced banchan and meal kits.
- Deli House (델리하우스) Grab & go concept Korean deli express brand featuring mini kimbap and various quick Korean-style meals for consumers seeking convenient K-Deli options.
- Gotgan Hansang (곳간한상) Korean traditional meal (hansik) brand using seasonal ingredients to create healthy traditional Korean ban-sang meal sets for consumers seeking complete Korean dining experiences.
- City Storage Franchise Program Comprehensive franchise partnership offering aspiring entrepreneurs store ownership with full corporate support including site analysis, chef training, recipe provision, private brand products, marketing setup, and ongoing operational management.
- Naver Smart Store (도시곳간스토어)
Quantifiable outcome
- 2.5x higher customer spend compared to competitors through diversified product categories
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use City Storage
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
City Storage technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
City Storage partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Expansion highlights6 records
City Storage competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sweetgreen: US-based fresh salad/bowl fast-casual chain with daily in-house preparation and premium positioning. Closely comparable to City Storage on the daily-prep premium fresh food retail franchise model and per-location revenue intensity.
- CAVA: US-based Mediterranean fast-casual chain focused on daily-prepared bowls. Strongly comparable to City Storage on the differentiated, chef-inspired daily preparation model and rapidly scaling store footprint.
- Pret a Manger: Global fresh food chain with daily-prepared sandwiches, salads, soups, and sides. Closely comparable to City Storage on the same-day production/sales philosophy and multi-category fresh food retail format.
- Freshii: Canadian-founded healthy fast-casual franchise. Comparable to City Storage in operating a franchised, fresh-prepared food retail model across multiple markets with standardized menus.
- Dig: US fresh food chain offering daily-prepared entrées and sides with a digitally native ordering model. Concept-comparable to City Storage on daily prepped fresh food retailed at premium positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Paris Baguette: Korea's largest bakery-cafe franchise chain (SPC Group). Broad incumbent comparable to City Storage on Korean franchise-led food retail expansion and brand-building at scale.
- CJ Freshway: Korean food service and fresh distribution arm of CJ Group. Broad incumbent player in Korean fresh food supply chain and institutional food service, adjacent to City Storage's fresh side-dish retail model.
- Hyundai Green Food: Major Korean institutional and retail food service provider. Broad incumbent in Korean prepared food, comparable in scale and food-service distribution but with a different channel mix.
Others
- Coupang Eats: Korea's largest food delivery app (subsidiary of Coupang). Adjacent rather than directly competitive; an enabling/distribution channel where City Storage's franchise stores already achieve 4.9 ratings.
- Baemin (Woowa Brothers): Korea's #1 food delivery platform (Delivery Hero-owned). Adjacent infrastructure partner to City Storage franchisees rather than a direct retail competitor; Baemin is also where HQ-supported delivery setup occurs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
City Storage social profiles
Digital presenceCity Storage financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
City Storage leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
City Storage subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
City Storage funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
City Storage M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about City Storage
What does City Storage do?
City Storage (도시곳간) operates a premium Korean side dish (banchan) franchise with a same-day production and same-day sales model across 55+ locations in South Korea. The company offers 300-500+ signature recipes developed by professional chefs, complemented by 15+ private brand product categories including beverages, snacks, and seasonings sourced from local small-scale producers. Sub-brands Deli House (Korean deli express) and Gotgan Hansang (seasonal Korean meal sets) extend the offering.
Is City Storage a public or private company?
City Storage is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was City Storage founded?
City Storage was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is City Storage based?
City Storage is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does City Storage make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Franchise Fees and Royalty is the primary driver. The others are retail Product Sales.
Who are City Storage's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sweetgreen, CAVA, Pret a Manger, Freshii and Dig. Broad incumbents are Paris Baguette, CJ Freshway and Hyundai Green Food. Others are Coupang Eats and Baemin (Woowa Brothers).
Does City Storage have an API?
No public API is recorded for City Storage.
What industry is City Storage in?
City Storage's product category is Premium Korean Side Dish Franchise. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFABAE, Asian Fast Casual (Pan-Asian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Korean), with a secondary code of CRADAAAA, Shelf-Stable Pantry Staples (Grains, Pasta, Rice, Beans, Canned Foods). Its NAICS code is 722513 and its SIC code is 5812.