Lotte Mart Lands 10 Tons of Aurora Salmon... Salmon Zones in All Stores by April

Salmon Raised in the Arctic at 70°N Sold from 2nd to 8th
Top-Grade Brand Leroy Seafood from Norway Known for Umami Flavor

Models are introducing Aurora Salmon at Lotte Mart Seoul Station branch (Photo by Lotte Mart).

Premium "Aurora Salmon" raised in the Arctic Ocean has landed at Lotte Mart.

Lotte Mart announced on the 1st that from the 2nd to the 8th, it will sell 10 tons of premium Aurora Salmon directly imported from the Norwegian polar region above 70 degrees north latitude for consumers who enjoy fresh salmon.

As COVID-19 has prolonged, more consumers have been purchasing fresh salmon at large marts to enjoy it in various ways according to their preferences, such as salads, sandwiches, and rice bowls. Lotte Mart's fresh salmon sales growth rate showed double-digit increases consecutively, with over 40% in 2021 and over 20% in 2022.

Aurora Salmon is a top-tier brand salmon operated by "Leroy," the world's second-largest salmon producer based in Norway. The name "Aurora Salmon" comes from the fact that it was raised while watching the aurora in the cold and clean seas of northern Norway. Compared to regular salmon, it boasts superior taste and texture, with a unique umami flavor and rich oiliness, making it one of the highest-grade Norwegian salmon products. It is also famous as a salmon sought after by renowned Japanese chefs.

Lotte Mart explained that by securing cost competitiveness through a direct sourcing structure, it was able to offer the top-grade fresh salmon, Aurora Salmon, at prices not significantly different from regular salmon by about 5 to 10%. To preserve freshness, the salmon is processed locally and immediately transported by air, delivering the freshness of the Arctic Ocean region directly to the stores.

Starting in April, Lotte Mart will switch all approximately 200 salmon products it operates, including salmon sashimi and salmon sushi, to Aurora Salmon. A special Aurora Salmon zone will be set up in all stores, and a differentiated premium salmon zone will be operated.

Kim Taek-yeon, MD (Merchandiser) of the Fisheries Team at Lotte Mart, said, "Through meetings in Norway, we directly experienced the freshness of Aurora Salmon and made great efforts to offer premium fresh salmon of the highest quality and freshness at reasonable prices to consumers." He added, "In the future, we plan to switch all products operated by Lotte Mart to Aurora Salmon and introduce various products using fresh salmon."