The owner of Korean fried chicken brand Kyochon Chicken has signed a franchise deal with a local partner to expand into Canada and parts of the US. 

The expansion is part of the brand’s ambition to strengthen its footprint in North America. Kyochon USA signed the contract with Mirae F&B Holdings, a subsidiary of Mirae Investment Co, which runs businesses in the food service, wholesale, retail and accommodation sectors. 

Kyochon intends to open its first store in Vancouver, Canada, this year and another 30 in Western Canada over the following five years. The brand will also launch its first store in Hawaii in the first part of this year.

Founded in 1991, Kyochon is one of the largest Korean fried-chicken restaurants in South Korea. The brand serves Korean chicken-style dishes with different sauces. The brand says on its website it uses the “finest” ingredients and its sauces are free from MSG.

Kyochon has 67 restaurants in six countries: the US, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the UAE. It presently maintains three outlets under direct management in the Western US. 

Meanwhile, rival South Korean chain BHC Chicken revealed its strategy for North America this week