Chick-fil-A is set to make its Asian debut with its first Singapore restaurant opening in late 2025. This expansion marks the beginning of a significant 10-year investment plan, with the US fast-food chain committing US$75 million to the venture. Inside Retail spoke with Hugh Park, head of Asia Pacific operations at Chick-fil-A, about the brand’s vision for the Asian market. Inside Retail: Why did Chick-fil-A choose Singapore as the starting destination for its international expansion
nsion into Asia?
Hugh Park: The profound love that Singaporeans have for food, the maturity of Singapore’s food and beverage scene, as well as the city’s strategic position as a gateway to the Asian market, make it the ideal choice for our first permanent restaurant in the region. We were encouraged by our recent market tests and the positive reception we’ve received so far affirms Singapore was the right market – and now is the right time for us to introduce our brand to Singapore and the region.
IR: If you could envision an ideal first experience for a customer walking into Chick-fil-A in Singapore, what would it look and feel like?
HP: Guests in Singapore can look forward to an authentic Chick-fil-A experience at each of our restaurants: delicious food prepared with high-quality ingredients, and served with our signature hospitality. They will get to experience our culture of care – a warm welcome and remarkable service alongside a delicious meal.
IR: What do you think will surprise Asian customers the most about Chick-fil-A beyond just the food?
HP: Beyond the menu, we’re really excited to bring our signature hospitality to guests in Asia. Our local owner-operators are entrepreneurs who work in their restaurants side by side with their team members each day, engaging and connecting with Guests to ensure a positive experience.
Also, demonstrating care in the communities we serve is a big part of our culture and is at the heart of everything we do at Chick-fil-A. Our local owner-operators not only own their own business but also have the flexibility to demonstrate care outside their restaurant in unique ways where they see needs in the community.
IR: What unique challenges and opportunities does Chick-fil-A anticipate in the Asia Pacific market compared to the US?
HP: Singapore represents a tremendous opportunity for us to engage in the local communities and demonstrate care in ways that are unique to Chick-fil-A. Our approach to growing our business and engaging in local communities in Singapore and beyond is ensuring that we grow with care and scale thoughtfully by learning and understanding different cultures and communities.
We recognise that the range of options consumers have, the level of competition and varying levels of market maturity will require us to deliver our food and signature hospitality in ways that truly resonate with our guests in Asia.
IR: What strategic adaptations, if any, will the brand make to cater to Asian consumers’ tastes and preferences?
HP: We’re approaching each new restaurant with a fresh perspective. This means asking ourselves how best we can serve the community, and how we can ensure that we uphold a culture of care in each of our restaurants while delivering a brand experience that is meaningful and resonant with our guests and communities.
IR: Given Chick-fil-A’s strong brand identity in the US, how will you approach building brand awareness in Asia?
HP: The pop-up event in Singapore this June was our first step to introducing the brand to the region. Prior to the pop-up, we took time to ensure we understood the market, its cultural diversity and what matters most to them. We’ll take lots of care with how we introduce the brand and ensure that our people and communities will always come first, wherever we choose to operate. We are already hiring locally here in Singapore as we begin to build our brand in Asia.
IR: Can you share more about the company’s long-term growth plan across Asia Pacific? Which countries might be next?
HP: We recognise the great potential of international growth, and we look forward to future expansion in Asia and Europe in 2025, with plans to open restaurants in additional international markets by 2030. We are presently exploring several locations within Asia and will be sure to make you aware when we have more news to share.
IR: What trends in the Asian F&B market do you think will be critical to Chick-fil-A’s success?
HP: We believe guests increasingly look at dining as an experience, one that goes beyond just a tasty meal. We believe an authentic Chick-fil-A experience – delicious food prepared with high-quality ingredients, served with our signature hospitality – will exceed the expectations of diners in the region.
Further reading, H&M East Asia boss Aneta Pokucinska on the company’s localised growth strategy.