Coles Partners with Cult-Favorite Gami to Launch Exclusive Frozen Korean Fried Chicken Range Nationally

Melbourne, Australia — Let’s be perfectly honest: dining out in Australia has become an absolute luxury. Between soaring rents, interest rate hikes, and the general pain of existing in 2026, dropping $80 on a casual Friday night dinner feels increasingly irresponsible.

But Aussies aren’t quite ready to give up their favorite comfort foods just yet. Instead, we’re seeing the rapid rise of the “fakeaway”—the art of recreating restaurant-quality meals in the comfort (and budget) of our own kitchens.

In fact, latest consumer research from supermarket giant Coles reveals that more than half of us are cooking at home more often simply to save a buck.

Recognizing this massive shift in dinner habits, Coles has pulled off a rather impressive coup. They’ve partnered with Gami Chicken—the Melbourne-founded cult favorite that basically introduced high-quality Korean fried chicken to Australia back in 2006.

After nine grueling months of joint development, Gami is launching its very first retail product line exclusively in Coles freezers nationwide.

If you’ve ever stood in line outside one of Gami’s 30 casual dining venues, you know their reputation. The brand name itself translates to “beautiful taste” in Korean, and they’ve built a mini-empire on two core pillars: absurdly crispy batter and highly addictive, sweet-and-savory sauces.

Translating that specific, high-heat deep-fryer crunch to a standard home oven or air fryer is no easy task. Gami’s Founder and Managing Director, Jun Lee, admitted that replicating the restaurant’s signature texture and flavor profile was the hardest part of the nine-month R&D process.

The new retail range focuses on convenience without stripping away the identity of the restaurant experience. Here is how the initial rollout looks:

This launch also rides the massive, unstoppable wave of K-culture that has swept across Australia over the last decade. It’s no longer just about K-pop or viral skincare routines; Korean cuisine has firmly transitioned into the mainstream Australian culinary landscape.

According to Karen O’Connor, Coles General Manager Commercial for Meat, Deli, and Convenience, the partnership is a direct response to a massive surge in customer demand for globally inspired, easy-to-prep meals that don’t compromise on quality or break the bank.

Will boxed, oven-baked chicken ever completely replace the lively, beer-soaked atmosphere of a physical Gami restaurant? Probably not. There is something irreplaceable about a fresh, piping-hot basket of chicken served right to your table.

But at $12 a box—which easily feeds two people when paired with some home-cooked rice or a quick slaw—it is an incredibly compelling alternative for a Tuesday night in.

If you want to track down the Sweet Chilli variety, which is limited to select locations, you can check the official Coles store locator at coles.com.au/offers/gami-stores. As for the rest of us? Our air fryers are officially warmed up and ready.