In Early Scorching Heat... Jangajji and Kimchi Side Dishes Selling Like Hotcakes

Appetite Drops in the Heat... Food Poisoning Risk Rises ↑
Shrimp and Abalone Jang Sales Online Jump 897% Year-on-Year
More People Staying Home Due to COVID-19... "This Trend Likely to Continue for a While"

Jaharam Plum Fermented Liquid Soy Sauce Abalone Sauce (Photo by Permill)

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] The early heatwave, with temperatures soaring well above 30 degrees Celsius, is bringing changes across all aspects of daily life. Electricity consumption has surged, air conditioner sales have significantly increased, and cooling apparel is flying off the shelves in the clothing industry. In the food sector, orders for pickled vegetables and kimchi side dishes have skyrocketed. This is analyzed to be due to consumers losing their appetite amid the sudden heatwave and the increased risk of food poisoning, which has driven demand for side dishes that do not spoil easily.

On the 12th, Gmarket reported that sales of shrimp jang and abalone jang during the recent week (June 1 to June 7) increased dramatically by 897% compared to the previous year. Among kimchi varieties, sales of fresh kimchi (geotjeori) rose by 294%, cucumber kimchi (oi sobagi) by 145%, and sales of green onion kimchi, chive kimchi, and cubed radish kimchi (kkakdugi) increased by 62%. Consumers seeking white kimchi (baek kimchi) and whole cabbage kimchi (poggi kimchi) also increased by 50% and 41%, respectively, compared to last year. Sales of salted seafood such as myeongran (pollock roe), changnan, shrimp, and toha jeot, as well as fish sauce, rose by 35% year-on-year.

13 Types of Low-Sodium Aged Jeotgal by Master Kim Jeong-bae (Photo by Permill)

Popular products include ‘Gfresh Yeosu Baekseobang Peeled Shrimp Jang,’ ‘Yeolmu Kimchi’ from Manyo Kimchi, and ‘Jaharam Plum Fermented Soy Sauce Abalone Jang’ from Platform Permil. Gfresh Yeosu Baekseobang Peeled Shrimp Jang uses a traditional soy sauce aging method where the soy sauce is boiled and cooled three times, maximizing the flavor of the soy sauce to produce a sweet and savory taste without being salty.

Manyo Kimchi’s Yeolmu Kimchi is a product that gains explosive popularity every early summer. It has a broth that is just right for mixing with rice. It is characterized by the use of domestically grown napa cabbage and red pepper powder, along with anchovy fish sauce and shrimp jeot sourced from Namhae, enhancing its umami flavor.

Jaharam Plum Fermented Soy Sauce Abalone Jang is shipped after 3 to 4 days of fermentation to reach the optimal taste. It features domestic abalone aged in organic soy sauce and plum fermented liquid, eliminating the fishy smell and the typical heaviness of soy sauce.

At Market Kurly, sales of pickled side dishes and sobagi (stuffed vegetables) that stimulate the appetite increased by 62% year-on-year from last month through the 10th. In particular, sales of pickled side dishes such as myeonginamul rose by 152%, and cucumber sobagi increased by 126%. Other popular items include salted seafood, pickled cucumbers, and jangajji (pickled vegetables). Bestsellers at Market Kurly include Tamnaneun Bapsang’s ‘Nakji Jeotgal’ (octopus salted seafood), Bareun Jeongchan’s ‘Myeonginamul Jeolim’ (pickled myeonginamul), and Sinsa Dong Baeban’s ‘Oiji Muchim’ (seasoned pickled cucumbers).

At SSG.com, sales of pickled side dishes from the 1st to the 10th increased by 19.4% compared to the previous month and by 78.3% compared to the previous year. Popular products include Daesang Jonggajib’s ‘Domestic Dried Radish Strips,’ The Banchan’s ‘Gochujang Sauce Jjinnmichae’ and ‘Oiji Muchim,’ Peacock’s ‘Fresh Perilla Leaf Muchim,’ and Jung Mi-kyung Kitchen’s ‘Garlic Stem Jangajji Muchim.’ Kimchi sales increased by 31% compared to last month and by 71.7% year-on-year. Popular items include No Brand’s ‘Special Flavor Kimchi,’ CJ Bibigo’s ‘Chonggak Kimchi,’ and Jonggajib’s ‘Baek Kimchi’ and ‘Dongchimi.’

A food industry official stated, "Due to the increased demand for home-cooked meals amid the spread of COVID-19 and the forecast of an unprecedented heatwave comparable to 2018, the sales growth of pickled vegetables and kimchi side dishes is expected to continue for the time being."

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