The Opening of the Ultra-Low Price '2nd Round'... Large Supermarkets Expand Food Battlefront

Emart, Instant Cooked Food Sales Up 26%
‘Chanjeo Saewoo’ and Bibimbap Lead ‘Ultra-Low Price Competition’
Targeting Office Workers Amid Lunchflation

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Recently, as dining-out prices continue to soar, large discount stores are expanding their ultra-low-priced food offerings. The frontlines now seem to be extending from half-price chicken to pizza, sweet and sour pork, gan-sho shrimp, bibimbap, and more. This strategy also aims to target consumers trying to reduce their lunch expenses amid lunchflation (lunch + inflation).

According to Emart on the 16th, from the 1st to the 13th of this month, total sales of ready-to-eat foods (deli) increased by 26% compared to the same period last year. During the same period, Lotte Mart saw a 40% increase, and Homeplus experienced a 74% rise in sales. This is due to each company strengthening their deli corner menus as Homeplus’s Dangdang Chicken gained popularity.

Emart is offering a 20% discount on sushi wrapped and aged with kelp, yangjangpi, and other items when paid with event cards until the 21st. From the 22nd to the 28th, customers can purchase Sushi-e premium assorted sushi, sausage rice cake skewers, whole wing barbecue, deli boxes, and more at a 20% discounted price when accumulating Shinsegae points. Based on customer votes through the application (app), Emart introduced the B.L.T deli box (5,980 won) containing salad and sandwiches, and on the 31st of last month, launched the Honey Combo Late-Night Snack Set (14,980 won) featuring boneless rice cake gangjeong, crispy shrimp tempura, buffalo wings and drumettes. Early next month, they will conduct a vote on home party set configurations and plan to release the final product by mid-December.

Seoul Emart Seongsu Branch is selling a Honey Combo Late-Night Snack Set at the deli corner.

Lotte Mart is selling larger gan-sho shrimp and larger cream shrimp as cost-effective Chinese dishes for 6,800 won, discounted by 4,000 won from the regular price, for L.Point members paying with event cards until the 21st. A Chinese chef with over 15 years of hotel experience participated in product development, reducing the batter thickness and increasing the size of the shrimp to capture the authentic Chinese cuisine feel. Three types of bibimbap?soybean paste pork bibimbap, gochujang bulgogi bibimbap, and tuna vegetable bibimbap?targeting office workers’ lunch demand, are sold at 3,980 won, discounted by 1,000 won from the regular price.

Homeplus introduced three types: Jigeum Han-kki Pork Bibimbap (4,990 won), Tuna Bibimbap (4,990 won), and Double Egg Bibimbap (3,990 won). Until the 21st, various deli menu items such as chicken, sushi, gimbap, sandwiches, and salads are sold at discounted prices. Representative products include Dangdang Fried Chicken, Hanpan Dakgangjeong, Cheongchun Wing Drumettes, Koshihikari Sushi Set (30 pieces), and Premium Hearty Sushi Set (18 pieces).

A representative from a large discount store said, “Due to the rise in dining-out prices, the popularity of relatively reasonably priced deli corner products is increasing,” adding, “We plan to develop even more diverse menus so that consumers can enjoy delicious food without worrying about prices in the future.”