Seoul Shilla Hotel's 'Strawberry Bingsu' Popularity Leads to Expanded Market for Domestic Strawberries, Achieving Two Goals at Once

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] Seoul Shilla Hotel is achieving a "two birds with one stone" effect by helping to expand the market for new domestic strawberry varieties as its strawberry bingsu, first introduced last winter, gains high popularity.

Seoul Shilla Hotel announced on the 2nd that an analysis of sales during the strawberry bingsu sales period last year showed that strawberry bingsu accounted for 25% of the total food menu sales at the lounge & bar 'The Library,' demonstrating its great popularity and resulting in the purchase of about one ton of domestically grown new strawberry varieties.

The strawberry bingsu, first launched by Seoul Shilla Hotel in January last year, utilized premium new strawberry varieties such as Geumsil strawberries cultivated by domestic farms. Through the strawberry bingsu, the hotel helped to popularize the still unfamiliar Geumsil strawberry and expand sales of new domestic agricultural products that lacked distribution channels.

Starting from the 3rd of this month, Seoul Shilla Hotel will once again promote domestic new strawberry varieties by selling premium strawberry bingsu. This year, Geumsil strawberries will be the main ingredient. Developed domestically in 2016 to enhance the competitiveness of Korean strawberry farms, Geumsil strawberries are premium strawberries known for their high sweetness, firmness, and subtle peach aroma, which have received high customer acclaim and will be used in this year's strawberry bingsu as well.

The strawberry bingsu, piled high with Geumsil strawberries, features milk snowflake bingsu that was also used in the 'Apple Mango Bingsu,' and includes handmade strawberry jelly balls made by the hotel, offering a delicate strawberry scent and a chewy texture.

Although premium high-priced strawberries are used, the quantity is generously served enough for 2 to 3 adults. One bowl contains an entire pack of strawberries (650g) piled up, and handmade strawberry syrup and strawberry ice cream are provided to enjoy with the bingsu. Upon request, fresh cream and French chocolate sauce are also offered to dip the strawberries.

Unlike last year, when strawberry bingsu was sold for exactly one month, this year the hotel plans to sell it for two months from January 3rd to February 29th. The extended sales period is expected to introduce premium domestic strawberries to more customers and provide greater support to domestic farms.

However, the strawberries used in the bingsu will be changed in the future to the premium strawberry variety with the highest sweetness depending on the season.

A Seoul Shilla Hotel official said, "Last year, thanks to the great love from customers, strawberry bingsu established itself as one of the two major fruit bingsu alongside the summer apple mango bingsu," adding, "We will continue to develop new menus to help pioneer sales channels for new domestic agricultural products."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.