GS25, E-mart24 and 7-Eleven are each leaning on sales data to expand categories where demand has already proven itself, from chewy frozen treats to cafe-style tea drinks and seasonal rice bowls.
GS25's two chewy ice cream bars sold about 4 million units in roughly three months, GS Retail said, while E-mart24's average daily tea beverage sales per store rose 17.4 percent in the first seven months of the year from a year earlier.
7-Eleven, whose bibimbap sales climbed 25 percent this year, is grooming rice bowls made with seasonal ingredients into a core strategic line.
E-mart24, meanwhile, launched a 350-milliliter ready-to-drink royal milk tea on Aug. 28 under its in-house cafe brand Seongsu 310, priced at 1,600 won ($1.16) — well below the 4,000 to 6,000 won charged at typical cafes and cheaper than rival convenience store versions in the 2,000-won range.
7-Eleven is elevating bibimbap into a signature lunchbox category, betting that its blend of assorted vegetables and easy preparation will win over a widening base of customers.
Sales among foreign tourists rose 40 percent last year and a further 15 percent this year, and the chain will roll out a seasonal series with singer Sung Si-kyung starting Wednesday.
AJP Takeaways
• South Korea's three largest convenience store operators — GS25, E-mart24 and 7-Eleven — are competing on food products tailored to more specific consumer tastes such as texture, tea drinks and seasonal ingredients, rather than price and convenience alone.
• GS25's chewy ice cream bars sold about 4 million units in roughly three months, E-mart24's per-store daily tea beverage sales rose 17.4 percent in the first seven months of the year from a year earlier, and 7-Eleven's bibimbap sales climbed 25 percent this year.
• E-mart24 launched a 1,600-won ($1.16) ready-to-drink royal milk tea under its Seongsu 310 brand, while 7-Eleven will introduce a seasonal bibimbap series with singer Sung Si-kyung to broaden its customer base.
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