Ministop Opens First 'Superbites' Store Specializing in Delivery and Takeout

Fast Food Specialty Store 'Superbites'
First Branch Near Sinchon Station, Seoul Opening in December
Over 40 Items Including Hamburgers, Ice Cream, and Chicken

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Ministop convenience store's own fast food specialty store 'Superbites' will open its first branch near Sinchon Station next month. It is a format specialized in delivery and takeout orders, focusing on cost-effectiveness (performance relative to price).

According to the industry on the 28th, Ministop plans to open Superbites Sinchon branch next month near Sinchon Station in Changcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. It will sell about 40 menu items including hamburgers, soft ice cream, chicken, coffee, and beverages.

Since the early days of Korean convenience stores, Ministop has actively operated ready-to-eat foods such as chicken and fried items, gaining popularity among teenagers and growing through word of mouth. The company also owns its own chicken brand 'Chicken First,' showing strong internal interest.

The Superbites store concept is a small store specialized in delivery and pickup packaging orders tailored to the recent demand for contactless services. Especially this year, due to the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), such demand continues to increase in the dining industry. With lower fixed costs, consumer prices could also be set affordably.

The choice of Sinchon branch as the first store was largely for test operation targeting the core customer base of people in their 20s and 30s and single- or two-person households. Sinchon Station itself has a large floating population, and the nearby area is a young commercial district with major universities such as Yonsei University, Sogang University, Ewha Womans University, and Hongik University.

A Ministop official said, "As a future food source, we created our own fast food private brand (PB) which had been a strength," adding, "After operating several test stores including the first branch, we will consider the future brand development direction based on customer response."