[THE INVESTOR] Sales of Korea's major chicken franchises rose last year from the previous year despite the bird flu outbreak and weak economic growth, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Kyochon, the biggest franchise, posted a 13-percent increase in 291 billion won (US$ 255 million) last year from 257 billion won a year earlier, according to the statistics compiled by the Financial Supervisory Service.

BHC witnessed a whopping 26-percent surge to 232 billion won last year, taking back the status as the country’s second largest chicken franchise.

BBQ is third place with 219 billion won, Goobne came in fourth with 146 billion won in sales and Nenechiken’s sales 56.7 billion won last year.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)