GEN Korean BBQ Launches Six SKUs at Save Mart Supermarkets Across California
GEN Korean BBQ launches six retail SKUs at Save Mart Supermarkets across California and Nevada. GEN Restaurant Group expands its CPG channel. Read more.
Prajakta Sanjay Warwadkar 
CERRITOS, Calif., June 8, 2026 — GEN Restaurant Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: GENK), operator of GEN Korean BBQ, has secured retail placement at Save Mart Supermarkets, a leading regional grocery chain operating across California and Nevada, with a six-SKU consumer packaged goods launch targeted to reach all Save Mart store locations by the end of June 2026.
The announcement marks a significant step in GEN's strategy to extend the GEN Korean BBQ brand beyond its 50-plus restaurant locations into the at-home grocery market. Each of the six products is prepared using the same recipes and quality standards applied across the company's restaurant operations, giving consumers a direct route to recreating the GEN dining experience at home.
GEN Korean BBQ Retail Launch Covers Six SKUs Across Bulgogi, Fried Rice and Chicken
The six SKUs entering Save Mart's store network are GEN Beef Bulgogi, GEN Chicken Bulgogi, GEN Pork Bulgogi, GEN Kimchi Fried Rice, GEN Vegetable Fried Rice and GEN Teriyaki Garlic Chicken. Each store location will initially carry one case per SKU, with distribution to all Save Mart locations targeted for completion before the end of the month.
The product selection covers the core flavor profiles that have driven GEN Korean BBQ's restaurant popularity marinated proteins in the bulgogi tradition alongside rice-based staples that anchor Korean home cooking. The inclusion of a vegetable fried rice option and teriyaki garlic chicken extends the range's appeal beyond a strictly Korean-cuisine consumer to a broader mainstream grocery audience. For background on the ingredients and cooking techniques behind bulgogi and Korean BBQ cuisine, Hospitality Career Profile provides useful culinary context.
Save Mart Partnership Adds a Major Regional Grocer to GEN's Growing Retail Network
Save Mart joins an already established retail footprint for GEN that includes Costco, Stater Brothers, Albertsons, BevMo and C&S Wholesale Grocers. The addition of Save Mart which operates nearly 200 stores across California and Nevada under the Save Mart, Lucky, Lucky California and FoodMaxx banners significantly extends GEN's geographic reach within two of the largest grocery markets in the western United States.
Founded in Modesto, California in 1952, The Save Mart Companies is the largest regional grocer in California, with a retail presence built over more than 70 years on fresh product quality, competitive value and community ties. The partnership places GEN's packaged goods alongside established national and regional food brands in a retail environment that draws millions of shoppers weekly across both states.
GEN Restaurant Group Positions CPG Division as Core Growth Driver Alongside Restaurant Expansion
GEN Restaurant Group's move into consumer packaged goods reflects a deliberate strategy to leverage the brand equity built across its restaurant network in a channel that carries lower overhead and higher potential for geographic reach than brick-and-mortar expansion alone. With 50-plus restaurant locations concentrated in the western United States, GEN's retail distribution covers markets where the brand already carries consumer recognition — a significant advantage at the point of sale in grocery settings.
David Kim, Co-Chief Executive Officer of GEN Restaurant Group, has previously described the company's CPG push as a way to bring the GEN Korean BBQ experience to customers wherever they shop, not only where GEN operates restaurants. The Save Mart placement advances that objective by placing GEN products in stores across communities that may not have a GEN restaurant within driving distance.
Growing Mainstream Demand for Korean Cuisine Supports GEN's Retail Strategy
The timing of GEN's retail expansion aligns with a sustained increase in consumer interest in Korean food across the United States. Korean BBQ, kimchi and Korean-inspired flavors have moved steadily from specialty and Asian grocery formats into mainstream supermarket aisles over the past several years, driven by a combination of cultural exposure through media, food delivery data and the growth of Korean cuisine's footprint in casual and fast-casual dining.
For a restaurant brand with GEN Korean BBQ's level of full-service dining recognition, entry into mainstream grocery represents both a revenue diversification move and a brand marketing channel. Every packaged product on a Save Mart shelf functions as a touchpoint for consumers who may not yet have visited a GEN restaurant — a dynamic that supports both the CPG division's growth and the company's longer-term restaurant expansion pipeline.
Investor and media inquiries regarding the Save Mart placement and GEN's broader retail strategy can be directed to Luke A. Hewko, Investor Relations, at GEN Korean BBQ's official website or via the investor relations contact published in the company's June 8 press release.
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