Benson Creamery enters the premium ice cream market
First store opens in Apgujeong Rodeo on May 23
Plans to launch over 10 locations this year
Kim Dongsun, the third son of Kim Seungyeon, chairman of Hanwha Group, and Executive Vice President of Future Strategy at Hanwha Galleria (age 36), has entered the premium ice cream market. Following his success in the restaurant industry with the premium burger brand Five Guys, he is now making a foray into the dessert market. The new ice cream brand "Benson," led by Kim, plans to open more than 10 stores in Korea this year, starting with its first location, as part of its strategy to target the ice cream market.
On May 19, Veruscoop Creamery, a subsidiary of Hanwha Galleria, held a press conference at Apgujeong Rodeo in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to unveil the first store of its new ice cream brand, "Benson."
Minwoo Oh, CEO of Veruscoop Creamery, stated at the event, "Under the slogan 'Freeze the Moment,' we have deeply considered the intrinsic value of ice cream," and emphasized, "We will set a new standard for ice cream through honest ingredients, a transparent manufacturing process, and meticulously prepared products."
Minwoo Oh, CEO of Veruscoop Creamery, is speaking at a press conference held on the 23rd at Benson Apgujeong Rodeo Branch 1 in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jaehyun Park
Benson is Veruscoop Creamery's proprietary brand, pursuing American-style ice cream. The brand name embodies the meaning of "Honesty" and "Trustworthy." To preserve the original taste and quality of the ingredients, Benson uses only domestically produced dairy products and adjusts the butterfat content and air content. Sanghee Lee, Marketing Manager at Veruscoop Creamery, explained, "By using domestic dairy products, our ice cream offers a clean aftertaste instead of the heaviness found in other products. The high butterfat and low air content provide a rich, deep flavor and a dense texture."
The newly unveiled first store, "Benson Creamery Seoul," is designed to offer experiences with both ice cream production facilities and chef-collaborated desserts. The store spans three floors (Basement 1 to the second floor) and covers 795 square meters. The basement floor features the "Creamery Lab," where visitors can see the ice cream equipment and manufacturing process, replicating the Pocheon factory at one-twentieth scale. Customers can also participate in a "Custom Ice Cream Class," where they select ingredients, make, and package their own ice cream. The store is scheduled to officially open on May 23.
Major ice cream menu items presented by Benson. From the left, the classic line includes ▲Jersey Milk & Maldon Salt ▲Pure Honey Tanzania ▲Pure Maple Vanilla Bean. Photo by JaeHyun Park
The first floor features the "Scoop Shop," where all products can be sampled, while the second floor operates the "Tasting Lounge," which offers premium dessert menus in collaboration with Justin Lee, a chef who has received French gastronomy awards. In the Tasting Lounge, owner-chef Justin Lee will be present to introduce a variety of seasonal desserts using ice cream. The lounge is scheduled to open on June 5.
Benson is launching with a total of 20 flavors and plans to expand its menu in the future. This is fewer than the menu offered by Baskin Robbins 31, a leading premium ice cream brand. The price is set at 5,300 KRW for a single cup (one scoop, 100g). CEO Oh stated, "We do not intend to launch products or conduct marketing in response to specific competitors," and added, "Our business strategy is to provide customers with a wide range of choices in the ice cream market."
Benson Branch 1 'Benson Creamery Seoul' Basement 1st Floor 'Creamery Lab'. It replicates its own manufacturing factory in Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do at one-twentieth the size, allowing a glimpse into the ice cream production process. Photo by JaeHyun Park
Benson plans to open more than 10 stores and pop-up locations this year. With a factory already established in Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do, the brand aims to accelerate its store openings. CEO Oh explained, "The locations for the 10 stores scheduled to open this year have been confirmed, but since some are still under negotiation, it is difficult to disclose specific sites. However, we are prioritizing key locations in Seoul and are also considering opening stores in major Galleria branches." These stores will be operated as company-owned outlets.
The launch of Benson is known to be spearheaded by Executive Vice President Kim. He is responsible for Hanwha Group's distribution, leisure, and food & beverage (F&B) sectors, including Hanwha Galleria and Hanwha Hotels & Resorts. In 2023, through Galleria's subsidiary FG Korea, he introduced the American hamburger brand Five Guys to Korea, and last month opened the seventh Five Guys location in Apgujeong, Seoul. In September of last year, he also expanded into the restaurant market by acquiring beverage manufacturer Pureplus. CEO Oh stated, "Executive Vice President Kim provided overall input on Veruscoop Creamery's F&B business, and his opinions had a significant influence on the direction of the Benson brand and specific product decisions."
This move is interpreted as an effort to offset the sluggish performance of Hanwha Galleria's department store division, which is Kim's main business area. Last year, Hanwha Galleria's operating profit shrank by 68.1% compared to the previous year. In the first quarter of this year, operating profit also plummeted by 75.6% year-on-year. Since Kim took charge of Hanwha's distribution affiliates, he has been devising future growth businesses to make up for the sluggish domestic market, and one of these is the premium ice cream business. CEO Oh explained, "We are interested in various future growth items, including the recent acquisition of Pureplus, and one of those items is ice cream. Benson aims to reach the break-even point within two years."
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