A TWOSOME PLACE said on the 17th that it will open the Gangnam Station location, the first domestic store of U.S. premium ice cream brand Van Leeuwen, on Aug. 3. Earlier this year, A TWOSOME PLACE signed a master franchise (MF) agreement with Van Leeuwen. MF is a model in which, instead of the headquarters entering overseas markets directly, it receives brand royalties and fees through contracts with local corporations and sells technical support and brand licenses.
Van Leeuwen is a premium ice cream brand that started in 2008 with a single ice cream truck in Brooklyn, New York, and grew around scoop shops. It has expanded its presence in the premium market by highlighting materials and supplies-focused products with minimal artificial additives and a lineup of vegan products using a dairy free approach. It currently sells products through roughly 100 company-operated scoop shops across the United States and about 10,000 distribution channels.
Starting with the first Gangnam Station store, Van Leeuwen plans to open stores one after another this summer in key commercial districts across Seoul. It will open the second store at Shinsegae Department Store's Gangnam location and the third near Sinnonhyeon Station. By expanding consumer touchpoints across major Gangnam commercial zones where foot traffic is concentrated, the company aims to focus on securing initial brand awareness and broadening customer experience.
In particular, it plans to present the authentic taste of New York. Signature items include sundaes, desserts of ice cream topped with toppings and sauces, and milkshakes made with only ice cream and milk. It will also sell ice cream that brings out the original flavor of the materials and supplies and vegan ice cream made with oats and coconut.
An A TWOSOME PLACE official said, "We plan to rapidly cement our position in the domestic premium ice cream market by continuously expanding stores around premium hub commercial districts," adding, "We will also set a new standard for super-premium ice cream."