'Jipkok Dabang' Reopened

COVID-19 Impact... E-commerce and Coffee Beans Related Sales Soar

The government strengthened social distancing to level 2.5 on the 31st to block the spread of COVID-19 in the Seoul metropolitan area. On the same day, a citizen was waiting to pick up a beverage at the Starbucks Dongsung-gil Entrance branch in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

#. Office worker Kim Gahee (pseudonym) recently took out the coffee machine she purchased last March again. It was a product she bought as COVID-19 cases rapidly increased and remote work began. She enjoyed using it for a while, but as the spread of COVID-19 slowed and she frequently visited coffee shops during outdoor activities, usage declined. However, with the recent return to remote work and the implementation of social distancing level 2.5 in the metropolitan area?where franchise coffee shops only allow takeout and delivery orders?it has come back into use.

The 'home cafe' trend is resurging due to the re-spread of COVID-19. As many office workers who had just returned to the office are now working from home again, sales of home cafe-related products are increasing. Coupled with social distancing level 2.5 restrictions limiting coffee shop operations, more people are enjoying beverages and desserts at home through delivery.

According to e-commerce company TMON on the 3rd, sales of products that allow people to enjoy coffee at home?such as roasted beans, ground coffee, and capsule coffee?rose about 3.5 times in August compared to the same period last year. This is interpreted as the 'home cafe' items gaining popularity due to the re-spread and prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

This trend and the rise in sales of related products were also seen in the first quarter of this year when remote work increased significantly. WEMAKEPRICE analyzed sales data over six weeks from March 1 to April 11 and found that sales of coffee machines, waffle makers, and sandwich makers increased by 248%, 237%, and 229%, respectively, compared to the previous year. On Gmarket, sales of home cafe-related products increased by an average of 27.4% in February compared to the previous month. The increase in time spent at home due to the spread of COVID-19 and remote work is linked to the renewed popularity of home cafe products.

In particular, this time, a 'convenient home cafe tribe' using delivery services has emerged. According to Woowa Brothers, which operates the food delivery app 'Baedal Minjok,' delivery orders for cafes and desserts increased by 15.3% on the weekend of the 29th and 30th compared to the previous week. A Baemin official explained, "The growth rate is about twice the average of all orders." This is analyzed to be influenced by the implementation of social distancing level 2.5, which banned indoor dining at franchise cafes in the metropolitan area and allowed only takeout and delivery. In response, Baemin upgraded its system so that when customers select 'takeout order,' information about nearby stores is displayed at a glance. The delivery app 'Yogiyo' also signed a strategic business agreement (MOU) with coffee chains such as 'Hollys Coffee,' 'Coffee Bean Korea,' and 'The Venti' to activate delivery services, enabling customers to order cafe menus at home.

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