Simple Health Foods Are the 'Trend'...Retail Industry Says "Catch the Home Health Care Crowd"

Health-boosting dishes sold at CU for the Boknal season.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The distribution industry is launching a series of convenient health food products and holding discount events ahead of Chobok, the first of the three hottest days of summer. Following last year, the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant has increased the number of people who prefer to enjoy health foods at home rather than dining out.

According to the industry on the 10th, CJ OnStyle is selling health convenient meal products across all channels including TV live, T-commerce, and mobile. They have prepared products such as ‘Sadaebu Jip Gokgan Nokdu Samgyetang,’ which can be heated in a microwave or earthenware pot for 15 minutes, and ‘Yeokjeon Hoegwan Myeongga Galbitang,’ a long-established restaurant with 93 years of tradition.

Convenience stores have also released health food products targeting single-person households. CU will sell convenient health foods such as ‘Meat-filled Boyang Haori Dosirak,’ ‘Chogye Konjac Noodles,’ and ‘Bulgogi Konjac Noodles’ starting on the 13th. From two days before Chobok, Jungbok, and Malbok until the day of, customers can purchase ‘Half Chicken Samgyetang’ and ‘Nurungji Boneless Baeksuk’ as 1+1 deals.

GS25 launched a premium health lunchbox called ‘Tongminmul Jangeo Gui Deopbap’ (Grilled Freshwater Eel Rice Bowl). They are also holding a 50% discount event on representative Boknal (dog days of summer) menus such as ‘Yours Whole Chicken Samgyetang’ and ‘Yours Half Chicken Samgyetang.’

Seven Eleven is introducing a convenient health food called ‘Whole Chicken Leg Noodle Soup.’ This month, they are running the ‘Gye (鷄) Benefit Promotion,’ offering a 30% discount when paying with Nonghyup Card or Hana Card on 14 chicken-related products including Samgyetang and chicken breast.

Emart24 is offering ‘Boknal Freshwater Eel Rice Bowl’ as a season-limited product. Until the end of this month, Dongwon brand’s Samgyetang and chicken soup products are sold at half price, and Dongwon’s chicken porridge, Samgyetang abalone porridge, and perilla chicken porridge are sold as 1+1 deals respectively.