Emart "Jerky Gift Set Sales Up 30%... More Popular Than Mushrooms and Ginseng for Seol Gifts"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Ahead of the Seollal holiday, sales of beef jerky gift sets have surged, threatening even popular gift sets like mushrooms, ginseng, and gulbi (dried yellow croaker).

According to Emart on the 15th, an analysis of sales over 40 days from last month 5th to this month 13th, the pre-order sales period for Seollal sets, showed that beef jerky sales increased by 30% compared to the same pre-order period last year. It is the number one growth rate among fresh food gift sets.

Considering that beef jerky set sales usually start to increase significantly about 10 days before the holiday, Emart expects even more sales to occur going forward.

The increase in beef jerky sales was driven by premium beef jerky sets. In the case of premium beef jerky, the ingredients have been upgraded and new manufacturing methods introduced, making the meat chewy and tender, changing the existing perception of beef jerky as tough and hard.

Among them, the 'Chaekkeut Beef Jerky Set' and the 'Low-Temperature Aged Beef Jerky Set,' which uses a low-temperature aging method, have gained popularity.

Since its first release, the ‘Chaekkeut Beef Jerky Set’ accounted for about 20% of total beef jerky set sales during the Seollal set pre-order sales period, driving the growth of beef jerky sets. The 'Low-Temperature Aged Beef Jerky Set' sold over 1,700 sets during the pre-order period, ranking first in sales among all beef jerky sets.

Emart analyzed that the popularity of beef jerky is partly due to the increase in home drinkers who enjoy alcoholic beverages like wine at home.

With the rise of home drinkers, Emart’s wine sales grew rapidly by 19.9% in 2018 and 10.4% in 2019. As wine becomes more popular and more people enjoy it at home, the number of people seeking salty and textured beef jerky as a snack has increased.

Additionally, premium beef jerky is soft enough for children to eat comfortably, making it an excellent snack for kids. It is also known to be rich in essential nutrients for children’s growth, such as protein and vitamins, gaining popularity as a growth aid for children.

Park Seonghwan, Emart’s dry food buyer, said, “Beef jerky sets have achieved significant growth due to the launch of premium products and changing preferences for beef jerky,” adding, “We will continue to develop various products so that many customers can enjoy them more deliciously and healthily.”

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