Convenience Stores Compete in Affordable Lunchbox Market
Lunchbox Sales Soar Again This Year
As lunch inflation (lunch + inflation) intensifies recently, convenience stores are fiercely competing in the value-for-money lunchbox market.
According to the industry on the 18th, last year's lunchbox sales growth rates were 24.6% for CU, 41.2% for GS25, and 35% for 7-Eleven. This year, the double-digit growth trend continues.
CU partnered with culinary researcher Baek Jong-won to launch five types of the Triple Ready Meal series. The Triple Meat Set Lunchbox generously contains three types of meat: gochujang bulgogi, soy sauce bulgogi?steady sellers from Baek Jong-won's ready meals?and chicken seasoned with mala sauce, allowing customers to enjoy a meat feast at about half the price of a restaurant meal.
The Triple Mushroom Burger includes three types of mushrooms?button, king oyster, and enoki?along with a thick beef patty, Italian white truffle oil, and truffle mayo sauce. The Triple Cheese Pasta uses three kinds of cheese: yellow cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Asadero, combined with whole tomatoes. They also offer Triple Pork Triangle Kimbap and Triple Pork Kimbap, made with three types of ham and finished with teriyaki mayo sauce.
GS25 reintroduced the Kim Hye-ja lunchbox after six years. The main side dish of this lunchbox is stir-fried spicy pork, cooked using only meat and sauce to ensure the meat flavor stands out even in a single bite. The rice is mixed with black rice to provide a nutritious, home-cooked feel, topped with a moist fried egg to add a mild taste. Stir-fried kimchi, stir-fried fish cake, and grilled short rib patties are also generously included as side dishes.
Previously launched by GS25 in September 2010, the Kim Hye-ja lunchbox sparked numerous buzzwords such as "Hyeja-robda" on social media until the first half of 2017, leading the golden age of convenience store lunchboxes in South Korea. Over seven years of sales, the Kim Hye-ja lunchbox was released in about 40 different products, with cumulative sales reaching approximately 1 trillion won.
An industry insider said, "As ongoing price increases make customers feel burdened by the cost of a single lunch, we prepared value-for-money lunchboxes," adding, "We will continue to strive to offer a variety of flavors and trustworthy quality products at reasonable prices."
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