[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] As the culture of enjoying premium desserts spreads, the sales proportion of premium ice cream in convenience stores has approached 25%.
On the 15th, 7-Eleven announced that the sales proportion of premium ice cream in the overall ice cream category increased by 6.4 percentage points from 18.4% in 2016 to 24.8% in 2019.
This is interpreted as the demand for premium ice cream being valid throughout all four seasons. According to 7-Eleven's analysis of monthly ice cream sales indices last year, general ice creams such as bars, cones, and pencils showed high sales during the summer peak season (June to August), whereas premium ice cream had sales indices of 106.8 (summer) and 96.7 (winter), with a difference of only 10.1, meaning sales were steady throughout the year.
Under this growth trend of premium ice cream, 7-Eleven is strategically expanding its related assortment. Following the launch of ‘Magnum’ pint ice cream, the number one seller in the European ice cream market, in September last year, various concept premium ice cream products such as the low-calorie ice cream ‘Lala Sweet’ were released in December.
This time, 7-Eleven will exclusively sell six types of premium ice cream from the Belgian premium chocolate brand ‘Godiva.’ The six types include Belgian dark chocolate, milk chocolate chip, vanilla cacao, strawberry chocolate chip, fondant chocolat, and Tanzania double, all in cup ice cream form (125ml). The selling price is 5,500 KRW, and after a pilot operation in about 20 major stores in the metropolitan area, it will be expanded to nationwide stores within the year.
7-Eleven will also introduce the American premium ice cream brand ‘Bassetts.’ With a 160-year tradition, Bassetts is the oldest ice cream brand in the United States. It produces ice cream by importing only the world’s finest ingredients such as Belgian chocolate and Madagascar vanilla beans. At 7-Eleven, it will be sold in three pint (473ml) varieties: vanilla, salted caramel pretzel, and cookies and cream, priced at 11,300 KRW.
Jang Yu-rim, the 7-Eleven MD (Merchandiser) in charge, said, “World-famous brand ice creams that were previously sold only in specialty stores have been launched at 7-Eleven, greatly enhancing accessibility and popularization. Currently, sales start limited to some stores, but we plan to expand the number of stores selling them within the year.”
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