[Today's New Product] CU Launches 'Year of the Red Horse' Carrot Ready-to-Eat Meal Series

Ready-to-Eat Meals Featuring Carrots, the Staple Food of Horses

CU, a convenience store operated by BGF Retail, announced on the 30th that it will release a limited edition series of four ready-to-eat meals using carrots to celebrate the Year of the Red Horse in 2026.

The Red Horse Carrot Ready-to-Eat Meals use carrots, the staple food for horses, as the main ingredient. The four products-lunch box, triangle kimbap, kimbap, and sandwich-are designed around the most popular categories to target meal demand.

CU, a convenience store operated by BGF Retail, announced on the 30th that it will release a limited edition series of four ready-to-eat meals using carrots to celebrate the Year of the Red Horse in 2026. Photo by BGF Retail

The flagship product, “Red Horse Kielbasa Meal,” features a whole kielbasa sausage shaped like a horseshoe placed on top of carrot and egg rice. The “Red Horse Carrot Pollack Roe Mayo Triangle Kimbap” combines garlic carrot rice with pollack roe mayo topping for a savory flavor. The “Red Horse Carrot Rape Kimbap” and “Red Horse Carrot Rape Sandwich” are aimed at customers seeking a light and balanced meal.

Recently, products with stories behind them have been gaining attention in the convenience store ready-to-eat meal market. For example, the “Bibigo King Dumpling Ready-to-Eat Meal Series,” launched by CU and CJ CheilJedang on the 2nd using Bibigo dumplings, sold over 350,000 units within a month of release. The “SseuSseuSseu Strawberry Sandwich,” a winter season exclusive introduced on the 16th, sold 150,000 units within just two weeks.

Kim Baegeun, Head of the Ready-to-Eat Food Team at BGF Retail, said, “To celebrate the New Year, we wanted to offer customers a unique experience through ready-to-eat meals that combine symbolism and fun,” adding, “In line with the trend of increasing demand for products with concepts and stories, we will continue to introduce a variety of ready-to-eat meals featuring creative ideas.”