Strawberry and Matcha New Releases Create a Buzz
Purchase Reviews Flood Social Media from Day One
Seongsimdang, Daejeon's iconic bakery, has launched a new product called "Matcha Shiru," reminiscent of a Christmas tree, and consumer interest has surged from day one. The "Shiru" series is already well known as an "open-run" item, with long queues forming before the store opens, so this new product has also generated high expectations.
Seongsimdang's "Shiru" series is famous for its cakes layered with generous amounts of fruit and cream, and some products are so popular that they are resold at a premium on secondhand platforms. The cakes are praised for their abundant fruit content relative to their reasonable prices, earning them the nickname "value-for-money cake."
The newly released "Matcha Shiru" is a variation of the original "Strawberry Shiru," with matcha cream added. Purchases are limited to one per person. The price is the same as the existing "Strawberry Shiru Maknae" at 43,000 won. Cakes featuring strawberries consistently achieve high sales every season, as the rise in strawberry prices during winter coincides with increased year-end demand.
Following the release of a 2.3kg large-sized "Strawberry Shiru" on the 1st of this month, Seongsimdang launched the "Matcha Shiru" on the 11th, further heightening consumer anticipation.
On online communities, positive reactions have poured in, with comments such as, "They could do well just selling what they have, but it's amazing they keep releasing new products," "I'm jealous of people in Daejeon," and "I need to go to Daejeon to buy Matcha Shiru." On the other hand, some expressed concerns about the difficulty of purchasing, saying, "I heard the lines are long even on weekdays, so I'm worried," "When should I go to avoid the lines?" and "Looking for a proxy buyer."
Meanwhile, Seongsimdang, which started as a steamed bun shop in front of Daejeon Station in 1956, has become a landmark of Daejeon, attracting over 10 million visitors annually. Seongsimdang's sales reached 62.8 billion won in 2021, 81.7 billion won in 2022, and 124.3 billion won in 2023. It is the first time a single bakery brand has surpassed 100 billion won in annual sales. Last year, sales increased by 55.9% year-on-year to 193.7 billion won.
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