A Second Bold Move After Shake Shack: Can Sangmidang Holdings CEO Heo Hee-soo Make Chipotle Mexican Grill a Hit?

[Financial News] Chipotle Mexican Grill, the overseas brand introduced by Heo Hee-soo, CEO of Sangmidang Holdings (formerly SPC Group), about 10 years after Shake Shack, is gaining popularity. The brand has attracted considerable attention, particularly on social media, and customers still have to wait more than two hours during lunchtime, even a week after its opening on the 2nd.
According to industry sources on the 9th, Chipotle Mexican Grill, the renowned U.S. Mexican fast-casual brand brought to Korea by Heo, CVO and CEO of Sangmidang Holdings, opened its first Korean location—and its first Asian outlet—in Seoul’s Gangnam District on the 2nd. The opening rush has continued day after day.
More than three hours of waiting began before business started on opening day, creating a packed scene outside the restaurant. At around 10 p.m. that night, more than 100 customers were still arriving, prompting the restaurant to extend its operating hours to 11 p.m. on short notice. As a result, social media users have even joked, “It might be faster to go to the U.S. and eat Chipotle Mexican Grill.”
Chipotle Mexican Grill is a Mexican food franchise that began in the United States in 1993. It has gained tremendous popularity in the U.S. by presenting traditional Mexican cuisine in a modern way. The company currently operates more than 4,200 locations in the United States, roughly comparable to KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), which has more than 4,400 stores.
Chipotle Mexican Grill is not an unfamiliar brand in Korea, either. On social media, it is widely recommended as a must-try brand for travelers visiting the United States and is popular with tourists of all ages and genders. Nostalgia among consumers who enjoyed Chipotle Mexican Grill while studying or traveling in the U.S., combined with word of mouth, has fueled explosive early success since the opening.
In 2016, Heo successfully pioneered Korea’s premium burger market by bringing the renowned U.S. burger franchise Shake Shack to the country. Now, more than 10 years later, he has made another bold move by entering the Mexican food market.
At the time, more than 1,500 people lined up for over 300 meters outside the Shake Shack Gangnam District location starting the day before its opening. Among those who entered on opening day, some waited as long as 15 hours. Shake Shack’s sales subsequently grew by an average of 25% annually, allowing it to achieve its goal of opening 25 stores by 2025 ahead of schedule. It currently operates 34 locations nationwide.
Heo has regularly experienced global restaurant brands firsthand to track industry trends. He determined that Chipotle Mexican Grill’s approach—preparing fresh ingredients in the restaurant and allowing customers to quickly build a meal according to their preferences—fit Korean dining culture perfectly. Based on that assessment, he led close negotiations with Chipotle Mexican Grill’s headquarters and ultimately secured the business rights for Korea and Singapore, as well as the establishment of a joint venture.
At a press briefing on the 1st, Heo emphasized his plans for Chipotle Mexican Grill’s entry into Korea, saying, “I want to bring to the Korean market Chipotle Mexican Grill’s differentiated value and experience: providing delicious food at a reasonable price that customers can freely customize according to their preferences.”

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