CU Launches 'Gimsambong' Lunchbox Seaweed with Enhanced Cost-Effectiveness

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] CU has partnered with comprehensive food company Sajo Daerim to launch the lunchbox seaweed product 'Haepyo Gimsambong' on the 10th.

Gimsambong is a product that contains three small packages of lunchbox seaweed, each with 8 sheets of seaweed. This product boasts a mild flavor made from domestically produced seaweed harvested from clean waters, roasted with perilla oil. The price is 1,000 won (for 3 packs), which is about 60% cheaper compared to regular lunchbox seaweed.

Gimsambong was planned to meet the recent consumer trend of purchasing an appropriate amount of products at a reasonable price, unlike in the past when large quantities were bought at once.

Over the past three years, CU's side dish product sales growth rate compared to the previous year has grown significantly from 21.3% in 2017 to 72.3% in 2018. Last year, it continued its growth at 40.1%. In particular, unlike convenience store lunchboxes preferred by single-person households, convenience store side dishes accounted for a high sales proportion (40.9%) in family housing areas such as apartments and villas.

CU recently analyzed that as dietary trends shift towards minimal consumption, the culture of shopping at convenience stores is rapidly spreading not only among single-person households but also in the dietary habits of general families.

In office areas densely populated with offices, the number of office lunchers who eat lunch inside the office is increasing, making seaweed, canned foods, and other easy-to-accompany items popular. In response, CU operates about 120 products across various categories such as kimchi, side dishes, and main dishes to diversify its lineup.

Lee Jeong-hyun, MD of the Home Food Team at BGF Retail, said, “As the generation that has experienced convenience stores since childhood increases, the culture of conveniently shopping at convenience stores whenever needed is spreading,” adding, “CU will enhance customers’ shopping convenience by offering a variety of products at reasonable prices.”

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