"Lotte Mart's 'Tasting Resumption Effect' Drives Double-Digit Sales Growth in Sampled Items"

One Week After Resuming Tastings on April 25... Compared to Two Weeks Ago
Dumplings Up 30%, Seasonal Fruits Up 25%, Imported Meat Up 40%, Bibim-myeon Up 70%
"Food Companies to Continue Launching New Products and Tastings"

Customers are browsing products at the meat section of Lotte Mart Zeta Flex Jamsil branch.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] With the resumption of tasting events that had been suspended due to COVID-19 on April 25, large supermarkets are bustling again.

Lotte Mart announced on the 3rd that overall sales for the week from April 25 to May 1 increased by 7% compared to two weeks earlier, April 11?17 (compared to two weeks earlier due to mandatory closure). Among these, the growth rate of categories that conducted tastings far exceeded the average. Frozen dumplings recorded 30%, seasonal fruits 25%, imported meat 40%, and bibim noodles 70%, indicating that tastings were linked to sales, according to the mart. Sales during the first weekend after the resumption of tastings, April 30 to May 1, rose 15% compared to April 16?17 two weeks prior.

Tasting is one of the ways food companies introduce the taste of their products to customers. Many food companies had delayed launching new products while waiting for tastings to resume. There is no marketing method as suitable as tasting for promoting new products. Since tastings have a high likelihood of leading to product sales, they positively affect large supermarket sales as well. Lotte Mart expects that as food companies continue to launch new products and tastings become more active, supermarket sales will continue to rise.

In celebration of Family Month and the reopening of the economy, Lotte Mart will hold various fresh food discount events under the theme "Recharging Vitality for a Precious Return to Daily Life!" starting May 5.

As representative products, from May 5 to 9, Number Nine and Grade 1 Hanwoo sirloin will be offered at a 40% discount for L.Point members. The products include 'Number Nine Hanwoo Sirloin' and 'Grade 1 Hanwoo Sirloin.' Until the 11th, 'Clean Wagyu soup cuts and bulgogi' will be available at a 20% discount for L.Point members. 'Clean Wagyu upper sirloin' will be discounted by 30%. Seafood promotions are also prepared, offering 'Wando live abalone' and 'Jeju silver cutlassfish' at promotional prices.

Im Hoseok, head of Lotte Mart's marketing team, said, "With the reopening coinciding with the resumption of tastings, we expect stores to be bustling for the first time in a while," adding, "We will continue to offer valuable products to customers throughout May to maintain this momentum."