South Korean aficionados, you are soon to be a step closer to enjoying one of its most iconic fast food brands in Southeast Asia, with Lotteria expected to land in Singapore by 2025.
Earlier today (October 24), Singapore F&B operator and hospitality company Katrina Group expressed plans to bring notable South Korean fast-food chain Lotteria into the city-state.
Projected to open multiple stores in Singapore, Lotteria intends to debut its first store sometime in the second quarter of 2025.
Many assumed Lotteria started in South Korea, but the brand acopened its first restaurant in Tokyo, Japan in 1972. It was later established in South Korea in 1979. Although Lotteria has Japanese origins, it was conceived by South Korean founders. The fast-food chain has grown to operate more than 1,600 stores across seven countries currently, including cities in Indonesia, Vietnam, and China.
Lotteria adopts its name from its parent company, Lotte Corporation, and it combines the words “Lotte” and “Cafeteria”.
Signature menu items at Lotteria are the Bulgogi Burger and Shrimp Burger. It is also expected to serve localised and seasonal offerings throughout the year, a model similar to its existing restaurants.
In a press release, Mr Alan Goh, chief executive and founder of Katrina Group, said: “Given the brand’s massive popularity in South Korea and its emphasis on quality, innovation and customer satisfaction, we are confident that Lotteria will resonate with Singaporeans and further enhance our F&B portfolio.”
This is not Katrina Group’s first venture in bringing a South Korean F&B brand to Singapore. It introduced DAILY BEER, which focuses on the iconic Chimaek (fried chicken and Maekju or beer in Korean) pairing, and family-friendly casual offshoot DAILY CHICKEN.
Katrina Group also operates other Singapore-based F&B brands like Bali Thai, Streats, and So Pho.
Lotteria isn’t the first South Korean fast-food chain to enter the Singapore F&B scene. Mom’s Touch, a South Korean fried chicken and burger brand operated by No Signboard Holdings’ wholly-owned subsidiary Hawker QSR, ended its presence in Singapore in February 2022 after debuting in 2019.
(Feature and hero image credit: Lotteria/Katrina Group)
