South Korea’s homegrown burger and chicken brand Mom’s Touch has signed its first franchise agreement in Japan, marking a significant step in its overseas expansion. The company aims to establish 30 franchise locations in Japan by the end of this year.
Mom’s Touch Tokyo, the brand’s Japanese subsidiary, signed the initial franchise agreement on June 30 with Kagi-san, a Japanese company that operates community-based commercial facilities and restaurants. The first franchise store is scheduled to open this fall at BLiX Chigasaki, a property owned by Kagi-san in Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture.
“Partnering with Kagi-san—a company with more than 150 years of experience in regional development—marks a pivotal starting point for expanding our franchise network in Japan,” said Mom’s Touch Tokyo in an official statement.
Kagi-san explained that it had operated a competitor’s hamburger brand for 45 years. Before finalizing the agreement, its executives visited the Mom’s Touch store in Shibuya to evaluate product quality and sales performance. “We were impressed by the staff’s passion and the brand’s competitiveness, which gave us the confidence to proceed with the partnership,” the company stated.
Following this agreement, Mom’s Touch plans to accelerate its franchise business in Japan. By the end of this year, it aims to open 10 physical stores and finalize 30 franchise contracts, targeting both commercial and residential areas. Rather than a top-down approach, the company will adopt a localized support model—offering digital solutions such as customized menu development, localized promotions, self-order kiosks, and regional store marketing (LSM) analysis.
Mom’s Touch opened its first Japanese location in Shibuya, Tokyo last year. Within a year, the store attracted approximately 700,000 visitors and generated total sales of $3.1 million. Buoyed by this strong performance, the company is now actively considering expansion into the Kansai region, including Osaka.
A Mom’s Touch representative stated, “Through our collaboration with Kagi-san, we hope to offer a fresh alternative in the Japanese dining market. We also plan to work with a diverse range of potential partners—from companies exploring brand adoption to individual entrepreneurs with food service experience—as we pursue nationwide expansion of our franchise business.”
