[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Sunghye] As single-person households surpassed 6 million last year, rapidly emerging as a powerful consumer group, products tailored to so-called 'solo consumption' such as drinking alone and eating alone have become a trend. Until now, representative products related to eating alone included delivery services and home meal replacements (HMR), but recently, the number of single-person households cooking and eating for a healthy diet has gradually increased, making small-packaged products popular in the ingredient market as well.
On the 26th, Cargill Protein Group announced that it recently launched ‘Excel Cut,’ a small-packaged premium beef product ‘Excel Beef,’ for the first time through the online mall ‘B Mart’ of Baedal Minjok. Excel Cut is sold in portioned cuts by part so that premium beef can be easily enjoyed without having to trim the raw meat. It comes in two types, chuck flap tail and beef brisket, each pack weighing 300g, allowing consumers to enjoy it conveniently without worrying about quantity. Additionally, it is hygienically vacuum-packed, making it easy to carry and popular not only at home but also as ingredients for travel and camping.
Excel Cut boasts excellent quality, including rich meat juice and outstanding texture, by using 100% premium Excel Beef. Excel Beef is produced through a rigorous process applying advanced technology, including the industry's first ‘carcass scan system’ in the U.S. It has solidified its status domestically as a main ingredient used in popular steak houses such as the three major steak houses in New York, as well as popular steak houses like VIPS and famous Korean barbecue restaurants like Gyeongbokgung.
Excel Cut is available for purchase at B Mart locations in Seoul, as well as some B Mart stores in Bundang, Suwon, and Incheon. In addition, it is sold through various online and offline stores, including ‘Meat Box,’ an open market for direct livestock product transactions targeting businesses.
SSG.com, the online mall of Shinsegae Department Store, opened the rice specialty section ‘Shinsegae Department Store Rice Shop’ last month and introduced vacuum-packed rice in 300g portions, catering to the small-packaging trend preferred by single-person households. This reflects the recent increase in small-quantity purchases of rice, which was traditionally bought in bulk quantities of 10 to 20 kg.
The 300g small-pack vacuum rice from Shinsegae Department Store Rice Shop reflects the preferences of the millennial generation, who want to experience a variety of rice types along with changes in portion size. Additionally, in collaboration with the rice specialty brand ‘Gyeongseongmiga,’ the rice is packaged in a newly designed exclusive Shinsegae package, enhancing the premium image of the rice.
The global sauce brand ‘Lee Kum Kee’ launched ‘Panda Oyster Sauce’ and ‘Chinese Seafood Sauce’ in small pouch packages targeting single-person households. These sauce products are portioned for single servings, making them affordable for single-person households, and unlike the traditional large glass bottle type, the small pouch with a cap reduces the burden of leftover sauce disposal.
Lee Kum Kee’s globally famous Panda Oyster Sauce is made from fresh quality oyster extract, boasting excellent umami flavor that allows consumers to enjoy the natural taste of ingredients without burden. Chinese Seafood Sauce, made primarily from fermented soybeans, sweet potatoes, and garlic, is known for its unique savory and sweet taste. The two newly released small pouch products from Lee Kum Kee are exclusively imported by Ottogi and can be purchased at nationwide marts and online.
An industry insider said, "As single-person households and singles increase, the demand for small-packaged products that can be cooked all at once without leftovers is rising. As small-packaged products gain popularity, food distribution companies are competing to launch small-packaged products targeting single-person households, and competition among companies is expected to intensify further in the future."
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