The Meal Kit Market Grows Larger with Signature Ready Meals from Popular Restaurants

'Samiheon One Meal Galbitang'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] Since COVID-19, the meal kit market, which has expanded significantly, has continuously grown both quantitatively and qualitatively, establishing itself as a popular meal option that can be used appropriately in various situations. Recently, as the market has accelerated its qualitative growth with famous restaurant dishes being faithfully recreated as meal kits, an environment has been created where people can conveniently enjoy food at home without having to visit the restaurants themselves. In particular, signature convenience meals from popular restaurants are expected to receive even more attention.

According to the distribution industry on the 20th, an analysis of products sold by Market Kurly from January to May this year revealed that the best-selling product was the “Simple One Meal” series, which faithfully reproduces offline restaurant noodle dishes as meal kits.

Market Kurly, which offers various meal kits from famous restaurants, stated that “Lee Yeonbok’s Mokran Jjamppong” accounts for 72% of all jjamppong sales this year. Chef Lee Yeonbok’s restaurant “Mokran” is well known for being difficult to reserve, and this meal kit product is gaining popularity as an alternative.

In addition, Market Kurly operates convenience food categories featuring famous restaurants such as “Samihun One Meal Galbitang,” a meal kit version of Busan’s “Samihun” galbitang; “Balsamic Kkwabarou” from Jungang Gamsokgi run by Chef Choi Hyunseok; and “Gwanghwamun Mijin Buckwheat Noodles” from Mijin, a popular buckwheat soba restaurant where people line up.

Shinsegae Food has recently been focusing on collaborating with restaurants selected by the Michelin Guide to launch products as meal kits. The Michelin Guide is a restaurant and travel guide series published every spring that selects restaurants offering excellent cuisine. In June, to welcome summer, Shinsegae Food collaborated with “Bongmilga,” selected in the “Michelin Guide Seoul,” to launch two types of “Olban X Bongmilga Pyongyang-style Buckwheat Noodles.”

The two types of Olban X Bongmilga Pyongyang-style Buckwheat Noodles are made by optimally blending buckwheat flour, wheat flour, and refined salt, then going through the noodle-making process to offer noodles with a soft texture.

School Food, a snack franchise, offers the “Hearty Fried Broth Tteokbokki,” a meal kit product that recreates its own “Tteoksooni Assortment” as a convenience meal. As of this month, cumulative sales have surpassed approximately 84,000 units. The “Hearty Fried Broth Tteokbokki,” which includes various types of fried items such as vegetable tempura, squid tempura, and japchae tempura that are difficult to make easily at home, is currently available on Market Kurly and Storefarm.

Additionally, School Food launched the “Spicy Rose Tteokbokki” HMR last month, based on its representative popular menu “Spicy Carbonara Pasta Tteokbokki,” which has surpassed 6.4 million bowls in cumulative sales since its release in 2008. The “Spicy Rose Tteokbokki” HMR includes milk, allowing consumers to enjoy a smooth and creamy taste without water. It will be available through online markets in the future.

An industry insider said, “At the time when COVID-19 is resurging, an environment has been created where people can easily enjoy famous restaurant dishes at home with just a simple cooking process. The market for meal kits from popular restaurants, which can be easily purchased online without having to make reservations or visit the restaurants, is expected to continue growing by leveraging convenience as its strength.”