Seoul Mandu, a dumpling specialty brand that has gained a competitive edge in the market with its luxury handmade dumplings made by dumpling artisans, has announced an aggressive expansion of its stores nationwide. Leading the way is food company Hanlim SMF. The company was launched as a MisungFNC in 2014 and changed its name to Seoul Market Factory to diversify its business. In 2024, the company merged its legal entities to expand its outward appearance and started afresh under its current name.

A high-end brand that maximizes the flavor of 100% domestic pork and dumpling filling

Seoul Mandu is a high-end brand that maximizes the flavor of dumplings made with thin dumpling skins, 100% domestic pork, fresh vegetables, kimchi, and in-house developed sauces, based on the philosophy of “honesty” for taste, and debuted at Hyundai Department Store Trade Center in 2014. The flagship menu includes meat gyoza, deep-fried gyoza, and Sichuan gyoza with spicy sauce, half-filled dumplings steamed in oil on one side of the dumpling skin, shrimp shao mai (58. 2%) and crispy bamboo shoots; dim sum xiao long bao with juicy pork and chicken meat and chewy dumpling skin; spicy triangular shrimp, steamed shrimp rolls, steamed dumplings with pork, dumplings with chili, dumplings with meat, dumplings with kimchi, Sichuan dumplings, gyoza churros, and trademarked ice flower dumplings. These products immediately attracted consumers with sophisticated tastes and quickly built brand awareness through word of mouth. As a result, Seoul Mandu achieved the feat of becoming the first dumpling specialty brand to open stores under the same brand in three major domestic retailers: Hyundai, Lotte, and Shinsegae. 

Currently, there are 11 directly managed stores in Seoul and the Seoul metropolitan area, including Hyundai Department Store Trade Center, Apgujeong, Pangyo, Mokdong, Cheonho, Sinchon, D Cube City, Mia, The Hyundai, Hyundai Outlet Garden Five, and Namyangju; Lotte Department Store Headquarters and Incheon; Shinsegae Department Store Dogok Food Court; and Seoul Asan Hospital. Seoul Mandu, a Korean food trendsetter, has earned a reputation as the place to go for handmade dumplings with long lines and has been featured on nationwide restaurant lists. 

Diversifying business distribution channels, popularity in online and offline markets... driving the growth

Hanlim SMF has expanded its manufacturing facilities and systems to meet changing consumer tastes and market trends, and has invested heavily in R&D to improve the taste and quality of its dumplings and develop new products.  As a result, ‘Mozzarella Kimchi Seoul Mandu’ and ‘Seoul Mandu Jeju Black Pork Galbi Dumplings’ were created to differentiate and upgrade the product. These products were launched at 1 TABLE, an exclusive premium home-style PB brand at Hyundai Department Store’s food hall, and were well received by consumers, creating a wind of change in the existing HMR market. The company also introduced premium frozen dumpling products such as “Xiaolongbao” and “Meat King Dumplings” that have been researched and verified over a long period of time to maximize flavor. As its taste and quality are superior to those of its peers, it has become a strong player in the online and offline HMR market represented by Seoul Mandu store, Naver Smart Store, 7-Eleven, SSG, Market Curly, Lotte Super, and Hyundai Department Store Two Home. 

Expanding franchisees nationwide, opening a Seoul Mandu store in LA in the second half of the year

Hanlim SMF plans to open a Seoul Mandu store in Los Angeles, USA, in the second half of 2024, with the goal of dominating the global frozen dumpling market while expanding Seoul Mandu stores nationwide. 

The company plans to increase brand awareness, establish a marketing strategy that considers diversifying consumer needs, and expand distribution channels while bringing the authentic taste of luxury handmade dumplings from Korea to Korean and American dinners in the US. CEO Sangwoo Kang, who has been recognized by three Korean newspapers for six consecutive years, is considered an innovation leader in the Korean restaurant business. Kang runs his business with the motto of “flavors that move people hold people,” and has been enjoying strong sales growth through his B2B business with Chinese restaurant franchisees and high-end hotel cafeterias. Kang says “The global frozen dumpling market is rapidly expanding to reach KRW 10 trillion. Seoul Mandu, which is the only dumpling manufacturer to be represented under the same brand in three of Korea’s largest retailers, plans to expand its menu lineup by adding king dumplings to its main menu of the already proven popular menu gyoza dumplings, and to grow into an upgraded dumpling brand by continuously developing various dumpling shops and menus to satisfy global tastes. Along with this, it will soon introduce a franchise model that will go beyond the limits of existing dumpling brands in the domestic dumpling market and be recognized as the best K-food in the global market.”