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Biography:
Hi! My name is Alanna Lausch. I am a fourth year at UC San Diego, pursuing a degree in International Business with a minor in marketing. I am originally from the Bay Area.
Hi! My name is Alanna Lausch. I am a fourth year at UC San Diego, pursuing a degree in International Business with a minor in marketing. I am originally from the Bay Area.
Seoul-Q: Bringing Korean Food to You
Seoul-Q: Bringing Korean Food to You
Introduction
Introduction
When looking for a place to eat on the UC San Diego campus, students and staff are presented with a variety of options from Thai, to Greek, to American fast food. However, there is one thing all of these places have in common, they are not very good and just might give you food poisoning. There is an evidenced need for a delicious and nutritious place to eat on campus for both faculty and students alike. Luckily, there is also a solution. The solution comes in the shape of a Korean barbecue-inspired food truck. This food truck serves as a unique solution to cultivating a stronger sense of Triton and the UCSD community, cross-cultural immersion through food, and spotlighting the importance of diverse cuisines on the UCSD campus. This Korean food truck will act as more than just a place to get mouthwatering food but will also enhance the UCSD grounds with a vibrant, cultural culinary experience for both students and faculty alike. In this paper, I will explore a brief cultural background of Korean barbecue, define the food experience of the truck, conduct a SWOT analysis, and analyze the marketing strategy of my Korean food truck.
What is Korean Barbecue?
What is Korean Barbecue?
Before jumping into what will be offered at my food truck, it’s important to dive into the brief cultural background of Korean barbecue to identify why it truly is so important to have here at UC San Diego. As someone who has visited the country multiple times myself, if you ever were to visit Korea, one restaurant you will always see no matter where you go is Korean barbecue. Dating back to the Goguryeo dynasty in 37 BC, Korean barbecue involves grilling different types of marinated or unmarinated meat yourself, such as samgyeopsal (otherwise known as pork belly) seafood, and bulgogi (otherwise known as marinated beef) at a grill. These different meats are usually grilled on a circular metal grill over a gas-fired table. To the left is Figure 1 which depicts a painting dating back to the 18th century. Illustrated in the painting are Korean men in traditional garments grilling meat on what appears to be a circular metal grill over a hot coal fire. This painting gives a glimpse into what traditional Korean barbecue vessels looked like. One aspect that has stayed the same from the 18th century to now is that Korean barbecue is eaten together. Lettuce, perilla leaves, and several sauces are usually provided to add as an accompaniment to the meat. Traditional sauces usually include a sesame oil-based dipping sauce, ssamjang (fermented bean paste and gochujang), and plain salt and pepper. What is unique about this cuisine is that it involves, my personal favorite, banchan, which stands for a selection of side dishes. The best part is the side dishes come at a discount price of entirely free! A common banchan dish is kimchi which is salted and fermented vegetables usually either napa cabbage or Korean radish. However, it’s more than just about the food; it’s also a food experience that brings people together. Korean barbecue is a communal experience where everyone shares fresh food and cooks together. Through its unique cooking method and emphasis on communal dining, Korean barbecue shines as a special experience everyone should partake in at least once in their lives.
Defining the Food Experience - Part One
Defining the Food Experience - Part One
The first aspect of the food experience is defining the target market. The target market greatly emphasizes “Generation Z”, a.k.a, a significant majority of students at UCSD. This means that the targeted age for the food truck is about 18-24 years old. This is the ideal age to consume Korean food as this age group is living through the Korean food craze. In other words, Korean food has recently grown in popularity among this age group thanks to Korean influences such as K-pop, K-dramas, and other movies. These media influences are critical in shaping the culinary tastebuds of a generation heavily involved in social media for example “When Parasite was released in late 2019, taking over the movie industry by storm, the food Chapaguri introduced in the film gained popularity. Chapaguri is a portmanteau of two popular ramyuns” (Dana 2023, 327). With an increase in Korean influences on social media, a growing demand for Korean food that Generation Z sees on the screen is augmented. Since zero Korean dining options at UCSD are offered, I am confident that this food truck will be able to strongly resonate with the students on campus and create lasting bonds with them.
Additionally, based on the figure directly above, the demographic makeup of the undergraduate student population is largely Asian, with 13,309 Asian undergraduate students attending UCSD in Fall 2023. Due to the highest population at the university being Asian, it provides the perfect environment for the food truck to flourish. The statistic indicates that a large percentage of the student body is likely to already have a familiarity with Korean cuisine and thus be more likely to try and even embrace this Korean barbecue-inspired food truck. Additionally, California has always embraced diverse cuisines. This food truck is strategically positioned to cater to its target market of 18 to 24-year-old students due to the soaring global appeal of Korean cuisine as well as the diverse population pool here at UCSD.
Defining the Food Experience - Part Two
Defining the Food Experience - Part Two
The second aspect that helps to define the food experience of this food truck is the actual food offerings. Influenced by Korean Barbecue, this food truck is named Seoul-Q and provides a straightforward menu inspired by the barbecue meat and banchan from Korean barbecue. As seen on the menu, customers can choose from two base options (rice, noodles (japchae), proteins (grilled ribeye bulgogi, spicy pork, fried tofu, grilled bbq chicken), and a choice of sauce (mayo gochujang, gochujang, teriyaki, mayo sesame), and all bowls would come with kimchi, lettuce, yellow radish, and sesame seeds. Since there is such a diverse pool of students at UCSD, it’s also important to take into consideration a diverse pool of diets as well. Taking note of this, the T-Bowl is perfect for any vegans or vegetarians while still providing an excellent source of plant protein with tofu. Additionally, to bring a fun fusion finger food to UCSD which is convenient for students, included are crinkle-cut fries with the choice of the different protein options as represented in the menu above. Seoul-Q’s menu is a fun twist on Korean barbecue without the long cooking time. Featuring classic protein options seen in traditional Korean barbecue restaurants, the mouthwatering entrees are decked out with traditional banchan all served up in a convenient bowl, perfect to take on the go. For fun American-Korean fusion, the Seoul-Q fries are sure to satisfy anyone's craving. Living in a digital age, Seoul-Q caters to its target demographic and includes a practical QR code on the menu to access all of Seoul-Q’s social media platforms with ease. The second most important aspect of a menu for a college student besides the food is the price. This is a facet I made sure to focus extra attention on since, as a college student myself, I understand the difficulties in trying to afford food options. According to the California Student Aid Commission, “35% of students experience food insecurity. Out of the students surveyed, 56% of students said they often or sometimes couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals” (California Student Aid Commission 2019, 2). Due to the large percentage of students who experience food insecurity, it’s critical to make sure to match the prices to what the UCSD student population can afford while simultaneously ensuring that Seoul-Q can also make a profit. As Seoul-Q’s target market is 18-24-year-olds, this demographic is littered with many costs such as tuition, university fees, food, and more, typically without a large income coming in. As a consequence, when deciding between a supply/demand model, or a cost-oriented model, Seoul-Q will venture into a cost-oriented model for the menu pricing. Instead of determining costs based on how much UCSD students and faculty are willing to pay based on demand, it would be more beneficial to apply a fixed cost strategy so that price does not come as a surprise since price is a concern for many students. Lastly, when exploring market research of other already established UCSD restaurants, most menu prices did not exceed $15. Therefore, in my desire to meet a certain profit margin while keeping my target market in mind, the prices on the Seoul-Q menu do not exceed $10 flat for the base options. Additionally, by doing this, Seoul-Q stays competitive price-wise with all the other restaurants and food options on campus. The menu and pricing strategy of Seoul-Q ensures a delicious victory.
SWOT Analysis
SWOT Analysis
In order to augment the strategic planning of Seoul-Q, it’s critical to delve into the SWOT analysis for my food truck. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are considered while opportunities and threats are considered external. One strength of Seoul-Q is that customers can pay with Triton Cash and other forms of pay such as Apple Pay. The reasoning behind this decision is that my target market is the students on the UCSD campus and so I need to ensure that it’s accessible to all students. Another strength is my food truck’s adherence to glocalization: “Glocalization rests on the premise that a universal concept must change to fit and function in a local culture. Blending the local and the global, it provides a passage to empowerment where modifications to a particular commodity can make it prosper in various traditions” (Simi 2017, 573-574). What glocalization entails for my food truck is that I have successfully adapted traditional Korean barbecue to meet the eating habits and tastebuds of UCSD students. The first step is transforming the traditional cooking process so that instead of students grilling their own meat on an individual barbecue, Seoul-Q will grill the already various marinated meats ready to order. Since traditional Korean barbecue meat is cut thin, it cooks quickly. This will not sacrifice flavor and will instead save on time, deliver hot, delectable food, and add a quick service element for busy students. The second step is making it suitable to take on the go which entails incorporating all the delicious elements of Korean barbecue and placing them all in one easily transportable bowl. The third step is adapting to local taste buds. The fries on the menu are a prime example of this as not only do they provide a comfort food to students who are already very familiar with fries but also offer a fun finger food that is commonly seen in the United States. The fries are also great for students who are looking for something quick to eat to fill their stomachs.
One weakness is that there is no specific seating for my food truck. Students will have to use seating already provided on campus. Luckily, there is plenty of seating available on the UCSD campus. Another weakness is high capital costs as the purchasing of fixed costs such as the actual food truck itself is expensive. An opportunity for the future includes menu expansion. Based on the feedback of customers, Seoul-Q can expand the variety of food options offered based on the shifting desires and tastebuds of customers. Due to the growing demand for sustainable food options, another opportunity is partnering with local farmers and suppliers. The flexible nature of my food truck “helps shift food and retail practices, creating opportunities for interventions to reshape energy use, and normalise everyday access to healthy, sustainably produced food” (Middha and Lewis 2021, 421). Taking that into consideration, I can ensure that my customers have access to healthy, sustainable food through partnerships with local farmers. Furthermore, since the flexibility of my food truck allows me to tailor my hours due to the high foot traffic of students, I can also decrease energy usage. This is because I won’t need all of my appliances up and running 24/7 and therefore will also save on commodity prices. Spotlighting sustainability also brings to light the opportunity to switch out plastic utensils for compostable utensils that I could buy from local suppliers. Switching out plastic utensils for compostable ones might seem like a small change but one small change makes all the difference. Unfortunately, a threat is the potential for other food trucks. Once Seoul-Q gains popularity on the UCSD campus as the best place to eat, UCSD will take this as a sign to invite other food trucks on campus which creates competition for my food truck. Lastly, a rise in the cost of Korean foods could potentially hurt Seoul-Q. In today’s economy, the cost of food is exorbitantly rising. This would in turn chip away at the profit margins on my food items served. Above is a SWOT analysis table that further defines all of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the company.
Marketing Strategy - Part One
Marketing Strategy - Part One
My food truck’s business would be incomplete without a thorough marketing strategy. So, the first part of the marketing strategy for Seoul-Q is through online presence. Specifically, magnifying even further “social media marketing, online branding, online advertisement, and post-service quality are the influential variables that have a significant impact on the competitiveness” (Singh, Shiwangi, and Dhir 2017, 126). Keeping those highly influential variables in mind in order to increase the competitiveness of my food truck, I will create a website. Seoul-Q’s website will serve as a place for customers to easily find the menu items that they can purchase. The website will also provide a great impression of Seoul-Q’s brand image so customers can get an immediate sense of what Seoul-Q is. One of the ways potential customers can understand Seoul-Q’s brand image is through the brand’s story that will be featured on the website. This story will narrate the journey of how Seoul-Q started to where Seoul-Q is now. My food truck's target market places a great emphasis on 18-24-year-olds at UCSD. A pivotal quality of my target market is the weight they place on social media when making decisions. As displayed in Figure 5 to the left, the most popular social media platforms for 18-24-year-olds are YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Since this is based on 2019 data, it does not include apps such as TikTok which have skyrocketed in popularity among this age group. To design an effective social media marketing strategy, Seoul-Q will utilize YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok as the main social media platforms for online advertisements and branding. The strategy is to create long-form video advertisements and then easily condense that into short-form content to redistribute onto Instagram as well as TikTok. These advertisements would consist of cooking videos/pictures, food pictures/videos, and graphic design posts. Ensuring that the branding is consistent across all social media platforms is crucial for my target market to remember and recognize Seoul-Q so that it stands out as unique. An additional powerful marketing machine is Yelp. To build trust in Seoul-Q’s brand, the company will reply to customer reviews on Yelp so that we can engage with customers and ensure that we are providing excellent customer service before and after their meals. Social media platforms are a powerful arsenal in my toolkit that will be utilized effectively for Seoul-Q’s marketing strategy.
Marketing Strategy - Part Two
Marketing Strategy - Part Two
The elements and details behind shaping Seoul-Q’s branding need to also be closely examined for the marketing strategy. To the right, is Figure 6 which showcases an idea of what my food truck would look like. As demonstrated in the figure, Seoul-Q’s brand image features vibrant warm colors because “Color science doesn’t just start and end with a product. It was found that warm colors (red, orange, and yellow) are better in physically attracting customers” (Cunningham 2017, 191). Given that a food truck needs a strong physical component to attract customers to eat there, I selected red, orange, and yellow to captivate customers’ attention. These colors also reflect the essence of fire which aligns with the flames utilized to cook the meat in Korean barbecue. The color red is also featured on the Korean flag which connects Seoul-Q’s brand back to its significant cultural roots making it effective for marketing it as Korean-barbecue-inspired food. Another vital component of the marketing strategy is partnering with UCSD student organizations. As an essential piece of my strategy, I will partner with student organizations, clubs, and events on campus to increase visibility. By partnering with them, I can grow a stronger presence and promote Seoul-Q in the UCSD Triton community. Forming bonds with the school community is vital since my target market is the students at the university. The partnerships can incorporate discounts, percentages of revenue earned going to the student organizations and clubs, as well as catering food for various UC San Diego events both on and off campus. All of these puzzle pieces aid in the formation of a compelling and successful marketing strategy for Seoul-Q’s business.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Throughout the journey of this paper, I examined a brief cultural background of Korean barbecue, showcased Seoul-Q’s food offering and experience, strategized an in-depth SWOT analysis, and explored the marketing strategy of my Korean barbecue-inspired food truck. Seoul-Q honors the roots of Korean barbecue while also creating new culinary experiences to adapt to the UCSD culture for the 18-24-year-old market. The SWOT analysis identified the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the food truck. Leveraging the power of social media among my target demographic, I mapped out online marketing campaigns. Seoul-Q also will wield strong brand and student partnerships to amplify the already successful marketing strategy to penetrate the market. With each meal, Seoul-Q will deliver the delicious flavors of Korean barbecue to customers, making a lasting culinary impression on their tastebuds. One detail is clear, UCSD is in desperate need of a food truck that stands the test of time and enriches the UCSD campus with a commitment to quality, customers, and bringing new vibrant flavors to enrich the Triton community. That food truck is Seoul-Q. After all, Seoul-Q is more than just a basic food truck, it’s a culinary adventure.
References
References
Cunningham, Meagan. 2017. “The Value of Color Research in Brand Strategy.” Open Journal of Social Sciences 5, no. 12 (January): 186-196. 10.4236/jss.2017.512014.
Hyeop, Seong. “Yayeon” (“Night Banquet”). 18th century. Painting. “The Picture Book of Genre Paintings” Collection. https://nextshark.com/korean-bbq-history
Kim, Dana. 2023. “The Growth and Influence of Korean Cuisine in Western Regions.” International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research 11 (4): 326-331. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10112147.
Lausch, Alanna. “Seoul-Q Menu”. March 1, 2024. Image. Created on Canva.
Lausch, Alanna. “SWOT Analysis of Seoul-Q”. March 1, 2024. Image. Created on Canva.
Lausch, Alanna. “Seoul-Q Food Truck Deisgn”. March 13, 2024. Image. Created on Midjourney.
Middha, Bhavna, and Tania Lewis. 2021. “Pop-up food provisioning as a sustainable third space: reshaping eating practices at an inner urban university.” Australian Geographer 502 (4): 407-424. 10.1080/00049182.2021.2017250.
Ortiz, Esteban. 2019. “Use of Social Media Platforms by Age Group in the US.” Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/rise-of-social-media.
“SEARS Survey Spotlight: Food Insecurity.” 2019. California Student Aid Commission. https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ssp_food_insecurity.pdf.
Simi, Demi. 2017. “Glocalization of Subway in India: How a US Giant Has Adapted in the Asian Subcontinent.” Journal of Asian and African Studies 52 (5): 573-585. 10.1177/0021909615596764.
Singh, Shiwangi, and Sanjay Dhir. 2024. “Impact of digital marketing on the competitiveness of the restaurant industry.” Journal of Foodservice Business Research 27 (2): 109-137. https://doi.org/10.1080/15378020.2022.2077088.
UC InfoCenter. 2023. “Undergraduate Diversity Dashboard.” UCSD Diversity. https://diversity.ucsd.edu/accountability/undergrad.html.
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