A Mom's Touch employee stocks food ingredients in the fridge. Courtesy of Mom's Touch

Mom's Touch is carrying out various measures to support and strengthen the competitiveness of its franchisees across the country, the homegrown chicken burger chain said Friday.

In a bid to diversify sales, Mom's Touch has recently introduced the Grilled Beef Burger. The franchise said the handmade burger is the chain's first beef burger.

"We had tested the beef burger at our direct-management stores for about a year before we officially introduced it," it said in a press release.

"Mom's Touch financially supported about 500 affiliate stores for necessary equipment for the beef burger."

It added it will soon add pizza to the menu to attract more customers and help its affiliates.

The franchise has also recently systemized its customer management under a strengthened partnership with its subcontractors and affiliate stores. Under the partnership, Mom's Touch said its franchisees are able to counter customers' needs more swiftly.

It has also implemented a hygiene rating system introduced by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The measure is to satisfy local customers' high sanitary standards, the company added.

Last year, Mom's Touch designated a four-month intensive hygiene management period starting from June due to high temperatures and humidity. During the period, the franchise headquarters carried out an education program for safety and food management.

Thanks to such efforts, Mom's Touch affiliates faced less than 35 administrative measures in 2020, about 30 percent less than the previous year's 51.

Mom's Touch said the success of its affiliate stores is important. In a bid to lessen affiliate stores' burden, the headquarters has fully shouldered advertising expenses. The affiliate membership fee is only 5.5 million won ($4,000), the lowest level among domestic burger chains.

"The initial cost for a Mom's Touch affiliate is only 25 to 45 percent compared to other burger franchises," the company said. "Despite its affordable initial cost, the average sales are up to 30 percent higher than other franchises. The profitability of Mom's Touch affiliates is second to none in Korea."

As of 2020, Mom's Touch had 1,314 affiliate stores across the country.