[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chunhan] Emart announced on the 26th that sales of gulbi (dried yellow corvina) gift sets increased by 30.5% compared to last year's Lunar New Year gift reservation sales as of the 24th of this month.
Sales of gulbi sets during the 2018 Lunar New Year decreased by 20% compared to the previous year, but last year they increased by 3.2%. The sales proportion of seafood sets also dropped to 66% in 2018 but recovered to 72.5% last year. Emart analyzed that this was due to products that eliminated the distinctive fishy smell of gulbi and the introduction of smaller portion products.
In particular, gift sets wrapped in lotus leaves to remove the fishy smell were launched in 2019 and have sold out every year since. Emart increased the quantity of this product by 30% compared to last Lunar New Year. Also, considering the increase in single- and two-person households, demand for gulbi in units of dureum (20 fish) has decreased, so they expanded small-portion products containing 5 to 10 fish.
Among the 13 types of gulbi sets this Lunar New Year, only one product is sold in dureum units. As the catch volume of nanhae chamchamgi (a type of yellow corvina) increased, the price of gulbi also dropped. Emart's 'Premium Gold Yeonggwang Chamgulbi No. 2' is 20% cheaper than last year.
An Emart official said, "It seemed that gulbi was gradually being forgotten by consumers, but by enhancing product quality, it is gaining popularity again."
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