Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, the leisure arm of Hanwha Group, has finalized its acquisition of Ourhome, capping a seven-month push to integrate the catering firm and revamp the conglomerate’s food and beverage portfolio.
According to the company on Thursday, it has acquired a 58.62 percent stake in the food catering giant for 869.5 billion won ($622 million).
Spearheading the acquisition was Kim Dong-seon, vice president of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts and youngest son of Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn, who has led the effort since October.
In February, the company established a special purpose entity, Woori Home F&B, to facilitate the transaction while securing antitrust approval from both domestic and international regulators last month.
The company sees strategic upsides to the tie-up, despite its smaller scale compared to Ourhome. Hanwha Hotels & Resorts reported 750 billion won in revenue last year, while Ourhome generated 2.24 trillion won, topping the 2 trillion mark for the first time.
Hanwha’s decadeslong track record in leisure and food services, including nearly 30 years in the catering business, is expected to create strong synergy with Ourhome’s expertise in food-related sectors, the company explained.
At the group level, the deal lays the groundwork for a wave of cross-affiliate collaboration.
For one, Hanwha Foodtech, a subsidiary of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, is expected to deepen the company’s capabilities in food technology, particularly in kitchen automation and smart logistics. As part of that effort, it acquired US-based robotic pizza company Stella Pizza last year.
Kim has already made waves through Hanwha Galleria, where he also serves as vice president. In 2023, he brought American burger giant Five Guys to Korea. Hanwha Galleria’s ice cream unit, Betterscoop Creamery, is also set to launch its new premium brand, Benson, later this month.
“With Ourhome, we aim to drive a major transformation not only in Korea but across the global food industry,” a company official said. “Now part of the Hanwha family, Ourhome will collaborate with various affiliates to unlock new business opportunities.”
minmin@heraldcorp.com
