What Simple Brand Tainment does

Simple Brand Tainment (SPBT, 주식회사 에스피비티) is a South Korean restaurant brand aggregator and franchise commercialization platform. Founded in December 2013 by Soongsil University classmates Park Byung-jin (박병진, CEO) and Yang Hyung-seok (양형석, COO), SPBT operates from headquarters in Dongjak-gu, Seoul with a small central team of 1-10 employees and three office locations across the city. The company positions itself as an "entertainment agency for the restaurant industry" — discovering promising restaurant operators and developing them into scalable franchise brands. Its core activity runs through two programs: an Incubating Program that forms joint ventures (brand holder 70%, SPBT 30% equity, with at least ₩30 million registered capital) to construct franchise systems from scratch including contracts, disclosure documents, trademark registration, revenue structure, and product standardization, and an M&A Program that acquires controlling 51%+ stakes in stagnant franchise headquarters (10-50 store range) for restructuring, brand repositioning, and long-term growth.

SPBT's underlying technology stack combines 14 years of franchise operating expertise, a 5-year-old in-house food manufacturing facility that produces pork, kimchi, and sauces for direct supply to franchisee stores, and a 50+ partner network spanning five major Korean department stores (Hyundai, Lotte, Shinsegae), ingredient and frozen-food manufacturers, marketing firms, location analysis vendors, and tax and labor consultants. The portfolio spans 10+ brands across categories: flagship 백채김치찌개 (Baekchae Kimchi Stew — 300+ stores, #1 kimchi stew franchise in Korea by store count, sales, and visitors with a 2x+ lead over the #2 brand), 신제주해장국 (Sinjeju Hangover Soup — ₩8 billion in retail sales since September 2022), 시올돈 (Siodon premium pork cutlet — 500,000 bowls cumulative by November 2023), 청년한우 (Cheongnyeon Hanu premium Korean beef — 2,250 cattle sold by November 2023), 우이락 (Uirak Korean fried dishes — ₩2.1 billion annual revenue at original location), 할머니의 부뚜막 (Grandmother's Stove Korean rice bowl — 10 stores within 6 months of 2025 launch), 요쇼쿠 (Yoshoku Japanese Western cuisine), 화덕으로 간 고등어 (mackerel specialty), and others. Internationally, SPBT has participated in the Franchise Asia Startup Fair 2023 (Philippines), the New York International Franchise Expo, and is pursuing US market entry for 할머니의 부뚜막 at Texas H Mart locations.

Revenue is generated through four streams: (1) franchise initial fees (approximately ₩10 million per store) and recurring monthly royalties (approximately ₩220,000 per store) across the franchise network, classified as licensing/royalty revenue; (2) transaction-based margins from supplying manufactured food ingredients (pork, kimchi, sauces) to franchisee stores at below-market prices; (3) M&A returns from acquiring and restructuring franchise headquarters; and (4) IP-based product development and overseas market expansion revenue for successfully incubated brands. The company reports a 100x revenue scaling trajectory from ₩200 million first-year revenue to ~₩20 billion by 2023, and has raised over ₩2 billion cumulatively across seed and Pre-A rounds from investors including YN Archer (와이어앤아처), The Invention Lab (더인벤션랩), VD Company (브이디), VDI Company, Halla Holdings (한라홀딩스), Sopung Ventures (소풍벤처스), and VD Robotics (브이디로보틱스). Customers are predominantly small and medium-sized Korean restaurant operators (SMB segment) seeking to transform successful single-location concepts into multi-unit franchise businesses.

Name

Simple Brand Tainment

Legal name

(주)에스피비티

Website

https://spbt.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SPBT is a Korean restaurant brand aggregator that incubates and acquires restaurant franchise concepts across 10+ brands, including flagship 백채김치찌개 (300+ stores, Korea's number one kimchi stew franchise), supported by in-house food manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restaurant Franchise Incubation

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Food Manufacturing (311), Other Food Manufacturing (3119)

SIC

Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Concept / Global QSR Chains (Mixed Menus) (THAFAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Soups, Broths & Meal Starters (CRADAAAF), Chilled/Refrigerated Prepared Meat & Seafood Meals (AFANAFAD), Specialty Restaurant Chain Program Broadline Distributors (Contracted/Managed Supply) (AFAIAAAF)

Keywords

• Franchise brand incubation
• Restaurant brand aggregation
• Korean food franchising
• Franchise commercialization services
• Restaurant franchise development

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fee and Royalty: Franchise brands pay an initial franchise fee and monthly royalty. For 백채김치찌개, initial franchise fee is approximately 10 million KRW per store, with monthly royalty of approximately 220,000 KRW (reported as 200,000 KRW historically). Revenue comes from the aggregate fees across all franchisee stores managed under incubated and acquired brands.
2. Food Ingredient Supply: SPBT operates a food manufacturing facility producing pork, kimchi, and sauces, supplying these ingredients to franchisee stores at competitive prices. This creates a recurring supply chain revenue stream alongside the franchise royalty model.
3. M&A and Investment Returns: SPBT acquires franchise headquarters (requiring 51%+ equity), restructures their operations, and grows them — generating returns through brand value appreciation and eventual exit.
4. Brand IP and Overseas Expansion: Revenue from IP-based product development, distribution channels, and overseas market expansion for successfully incubated brands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SPBT operates as a restaurant brand aggregator and franchise commercialization platform that discovers, develops, and grows promising Korean restaurant brands into scalable franchise systems. Core offerings include (1) an Incubating Program that forms joint ventures with restaurant owners (brand 70% / SPBT 30%), builds franchise systems from scratch, and manages franchisee recruitment, opening, and brand expansion; and (2) an M&A Program that acquires controlling stakes (51%+) in established but stagnant franchise headquarters, restructures their operations, and repositions them for growth. The company also supplies standardized food ingredients (pork, kimchi, sauces) to franchisees from its own manufacturing facility.

Product overview

Simple Brand Tainment (SPBT) is a restaurant brand aggregator and franchise commercialization platform for the South Korean food service industry, structured as an entertainment company for restaurants analogous to how an entertainment agency discovers and trains talented individuals to become idols. The company operates multiple sub-brands across different food categories, offers an Incubating Program to nurture restaurant concepts into franchise businesses through joint corporation formation, franchise system building, and expansion management, and runs an M&A Program to acquire stagnant franchise headquarters and reposition them for growth. The portfolio includes flagship brand 백채김치찌개 (kimchi stew, 300+ stores), alongside brands such as 신제주해장국, 시올돈, 청년한우, 우이락, 할머니의 부뚜막, 요쇼쿠, 화덕으로 간 고등어, well-known exit brands like 이태리상회 and 거북이의 기적, and subsidiary 심플F&B for food ingredient supply chain management. The company raised seed funding from YN Archer, The Invention Lab, and VD Company in 2023, and aspires to promote K-Food internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 백채김치찌개: Kimchi stew franchise brand - #1 in kimchi stew category with 300+ locations
• 시올돈
• 우이락
• 청년한우
• 신제주해장국
• 할머니의 부뚜막
• 요쇼쿠
• 서울떡갈비
• 갈매기타운
• 화덕으로 간 고등어
• 마장동김치찌개
• 삼청당
• 또또샐러드
• 이태리상회
• 거북이의 기적

Products and services

• Incubating Program Brand incubation program for restaurant owners: SPBT forms a joint corporation (brand 70% / SPBT 30%), with a minimum registered capital of 30 million KRW. SPBT builds the franchise system from scratch — contracts, franchise agreements, information disclosure statements, trademark registration, revenue structure design, product specialization, franchisee recruitment, opening support, and post-opening management — and pursues IP-based business expansion and overseas market entry for the brand.
• M&A Program M&A program targeting established but stagnant or poorly managed franchise headquarters (typically 10-50 stores). SPBT acquires a minimum 51% equity stake, places its operations team into the headquarters, conducts NDA, due diligence, main contract execution, post-merger integration, and brand repositioning for long-term growth. SPBT accepts only profitable target companies. Transaction structure: 10% contract deposit, asset transfer, then 90% balance payment.
• 백채김치찌개 (Baekchae Kimchi Stew) franchise Flagship kimchi stew franchise brand with 300+ locations nationwide as of January 2026, ranking #1 in the kimchi stew specialty category by store count, sales volume, and visitor count (leading the #2 brand by more than 2x). Brand emphasizes fresh domestic pork and directly managed kimchi production. Franchisee terms: initial franchise fee approximately 10 million KRW per store; monthly royalty approximately 220,000 KRW. Launched January 2022.
• 신제주해장국 (Sinjeju Hangover Soup) franchise Jeju-style hangover soup specialty franchise brand developed under SPBT's brand nurturing program; accumulated approximately 8 billion KRW in sales since September 2022.
• 시올돈 (Siodon) franchise Premium pork cutlet (돈가스/tonkatsu) franchise brand established by co-CEOs Moon Jeong-woo and Kim Kyung-ju. Uses a proprietary 3-stage aging method for pork and research-backed frying oils, breadcrumbs, and cooking temperatures. Reached 500,000 cumulative bowls sold by November 2023.
• 청년한우 (Cheongnyeon Hanu) franchise Low-fat premium Korean beef (한우) specialty butcher shop franchise, specializing in 2nd-3rd grade female cattle; reached 2,250 heads sold by November 2023.
• 외랑 (Uirak) franchise Fried chicken and Korean pancake (전) specialty brand famous for giant green pepper fried chicken and makgeolli (막걸리) pairings; originated from Mangwon Market; achieved 160,000 fish (approximately 47만 마리) cumulative sales and approximately 2.1 billion KRW in annual revenue across its original store and a packaged food stall.
• 할머니의 밥한판 (Grandmother's Stove) franchise Korean rice bowl (한식 백반) brand launched in 2025; reached 10 franchise stores within 6 months of launch; achieved monthly sales of approximately 100 million KRW at its Gangnam Station location; pursuing overseas expansion to Texas, USA via H Mart.
• 요쇼쿠 (Yoshoku) franchise Japanese-style Western cuisine (경양식) franchise brand; Incheon Guwol location opened in April 2026.
• 화덕으로 간 고등어 (Mackerel in Pizza Oven) brand Grilled mackerel specialty brand that appeared on SBS 'Today's Food Battle' and completed its official website launch in April 2024.
• 잘생긴 정육점 (Handsome Butcher Shop) franchise Premium butcher shop franchise launched in 2023; offers HMR (home meal replacement) meal kit products and premium Korean beef gift sets.
• 갈매기타운 (Seagull Town) brand Premium meat grill restaurant brand; third branch opened in Busan Seomyeon in June 2023.
• 서울뼈갈비 (Seoul Rice Cake Galbi) brand Premium pork daeji galbi (한육 뼈갈비) brand developed by SimpleMen, launched at Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam after 3 tons of raw meat used in 6 months of R&D.
• 심플F&B (Simple F&B) Wholly-owned in-house food ingredient management subsidiary operating a food manufacturing factory (5 years operational) that handles meat processing (육가공), kimchi production, and sauce manufacturing (소스류) for direct supply to SPBT-managed franchisee stores at competitive prices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100x revenue growth: from 200 million KRW in first year to approaching 200 billion KRW in 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• 토라이 리퍼블릭 (Tora-i Republic)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 January 2024SPBT signed an MOU with food photography studio 토라이 리퍼블릭 for collaborative brand content and visual marketing support, strengthening the visual branding capabilities for SPBT portfolio brands.
• 크몽 쑨 (Kkmong Sun)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2023SPBT and its brands (SPBT, 백채김치찌개, 청년한우, 시올돈) entered business agreements with 크몽 쑨, a platform supporting small business operators, to provide joint business support services to franchisees and restaurant owners.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BBQ Chicken (Genesis BBQ): Korea's largest chicken franchise HQ with ~3,500 stores, operates multiple sub-brands and pursues both domestic scaling and overseas expansion. Closest analogue to SPBT's multi-brand restaurant HQ aggregation model, but at materially larger scale.
• Kyochon Chicken: Major Korean chicken franchise HQ with 1,000+ stores domestically and active overseas expansion (US, China, Southeast Asia). Directly comparable as a multi-brand Korean food franchise operator pursuing international growth.
• Mom's Touch (맘스터치): Top-3 Korean burger/chicken franchise HQ with 1,800+ stores, recently pursuing overseas expansion. Comparable multi-brand QSR operator with similar unit economics and franchise model to SPBT's portfolio brands.
• Bonjuk (본죽): Korean porridge and healthy meal-kit franchise HQ with 700+ stores, strong domestic footprint and ongoing brand expansion. Comparable as a single-category Korean food franchise HQ that SPBT's 백채김치찌개 brand could be benchmarked against.
• Hansot Dosirak (한솥도시락): Korea's largest lunch-box (dosirak) franchise HQ with 1,700+ stores, aggressive domestic expansion and overseas pilots. Closely comparable in unit size, food category, and franchise HQ economics to SPBT's incubated brands.
• BHC Chicken: Top Korean fried chicken franchise HQ with 2,500+ stores, recent IPO candidate and active overseas expansion. Comparable in scale and category to SPBT's 우이랑 fried-chicken sub-brand and overall portfolio size ambition.

Broad incumbents

• Paris Baguette (SPC Group): Largest Korean bakery-cafe franchise HQ with 3,500+ global stores, owned by SPC Group. Represents the scaled incumbent SPBT could evolve into, and a benchmark for international K-Food franchise expansion at scale.
• Restaurant Brands International: Global multi-brand QSR aggregator (Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes, Firehouse Subs). The clearest strategic analogue for SPBT's long-term aggregator+incubator thesis at global scale, though at vastly different maturity.
• Domino's Pizza Korea (DRS): Korean master-franchisee operation with ~500 stores and proprietary supply chain infrastructure. Comparable as a franchise HQ operator with owned supply chain, demonstrating the vertical integration model SPBT pursues at smaller scale.
• Genesis BBQ Holdings: Listed parent entity of BBQ Chicken with vertically integrated meat supply chain and multi-brand portfolio. Illustrates the public-market and integration path SPBT could follow if its aggregator model continues to scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/spbt_official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Simple Brand Tainment