Hyundai Department Store Reports 11-Fold Increase in Rice Gift Set Sales for Lunar New Year

4 Out of 12 Items Sold Out in Just 5 Days

[Asia Economy, reporter Jo Inkyung] As the holiday approaches, rice gift sets are gaining popularity at department stores.

Hyundai Department Store announced on January 23 that sales of rice gift sets from January 14 to 21, the period marking the start of the main sales for Lunar New Year gifts, increased elevenfold compared to the same period last year. A department store representative stated, "Immediately after the start of the main sales for Lunar New Year gifts, there was a surge in orders for rice gift sets, and among the 12 items, four-including blood sugar-lowering rice and assorted grain sets-have already sold out."

Since 2020, Hyundai Department Store has been selling rice gift sets to support the expansion of domestic farmers' sales channels and to differentiate its holiday gift offerings. According to the department store, sales of rice gift sets during last year's Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays increased by 44.5% and 56.2%, respectively, compared to the previous year, and this year, orders have been pouring in from the outset.

Notably, 35% of customers who purchased rice gift sets this year are repeat customers who also bought them last year, and more than 50% of all corporate clients-primarily financial institutions such as banks and securities firms-chose rice gift sets as premium gifts for valued clients.

According to Hyundai Department Store, while rice gift sets still account for a small portion of total sales compared to traditional bestsellers like premium beef or dried yellow corvina, the recent surge in popularity suggests thatrice gift sets are likely to establish themselves as a new staple among holiday gifts starting this year.

This year, Hyundai Department Store's rice gift set lineup includes the "Hyundai Organic Gold Rice Set (2kg, 55,000 KRW)," which features rice cultivated using gold processed into a nano-liquid form; the "Neurin Bangatgan Baegokhyang Mixed Grain Set (including Baegokhyang rice, 70,000 KRW)," comprised of native varieties known for their rich aroma and sticky texture; and the "Hyundai Rice House Native Beodeulbyeo Set (2kg, 55,000 KRW)," made from the high-quality native Beodeulbyeo variety cultivated since the Joseon Dynasty. Reflecting consumer trends toward smaller rice portions and less frequent rice meals, the sets are available in smaller packages-450g, 1kg, and 2kg, compared to the conventional 5-10kg sizes-and feature individual vacuum packaging to improve storage and usability.

Kim Dongjin, fresh food buyer at Hyundai Department Store, said, "With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of healthy and safe meals has grown, leading more customers to send rice as a holiday gift to family and clients. We plan to continue hosting promotional events for rice products not only as holiday gift sets but also at major department store food halls and online malls, to help expand sales channels for rice farmers who continue to produce high-quality rice despite declining consumption and challenging conditions."