Genesis BBQ said on the 21st that the global sports marketing pushed by Chair Yoon Hong-geun to target the U.S. market has been translating into tangible brand exposure. It said that happened as BBQ-sponsored players finished side by side at the top in a major event on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour that ended on the 29th of last month.
Yoo Hae-ran, sponsored by BBQ, won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, which had a total purse of $13 million, with a final 13-under. It was her fourth career victory and her first major title. Yoon Ina, who also signed a sponsorship deal, finished alone in second. Two BBQ-sponsored players took top spots side by side on a major stage.
The brand exposure was also clear. During the tournament, both players competed wearing apparel with the BBQ logo, and two of the three players in the final-round leaders' group were BBQ-sponsored players. As the world's top-tier major stage was broadcast on global TV and digital platforms, it served as an opportunity to imprint the image of a premium K-chicken brand on U.S. consumers, the company said.
BBQ's LPGA sponsorship is an extension of Chair Yoon's emphasized strategy of "global branding of K-food." Because LPGA events are held across the United States and the strong performances of Korean and other Asian players draw high interest in Asia, it dovetails with BBQ's strategy to target both the U.S. mainstream market and Asian markets at the same time. Following a sponsorship deal with Yoon Ina in Jan. 2025, BBQ also signed with Yoo Hae-ran, ramping up brand marketing using women's golf.
The United States is the most significant market in BBQ's overseas business. It currently operates about 300 stores in 33 states, including New York and California. According to the company, U.S. consumer sales rose from 70 billion won in 2021 to 220 billion won in 2023 and 340 billion won in 2025. BBQ also plans to expand stores in key markets outside the United States, including Latin America, India, Southeast Asia, and China, while strengthening marketing that links sports, culture, and content.
Chair Yoon Hong-geun said, "Having our sponsored players take the win and the runner-up on the biggest major stage and stay in the lead throughout all four rounds is a meaningful case that effectively promoted the BBQ brand in the U.S. and global markets," adding, "We will continue sports marketing aimed at the U.S. mainstream market and our localization strategy."