Expecting Increased Customer Attraction... Shinsegae Department Store Strengthens Bakery Section

One-Fifth of Gangnam Branch Food Hall Sales Are Desserts
Triple Visit Strategy to Include Local Bakeries

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Shinsegae Department Store has started supporting local bakeries. This is because they not only showcase the latest trends that quickly adapt to changing customer preferences but also have excellent customer attraction effects.

At the Shinsegae Main Store, 'Napoleon Pastry Shop' will open on the 13th. Recognized as one of Seoul's top three bakeries and one of the top five nationwide, Napoleon Pastry Shop is a bakery specializing in traditional baking, operated by the second generation since 1968. It is characterized by using no preservatives or artificial coloring and making products fresh daily with fresh ingredients.

Signature products include Salad Bread (5,000 KRW), Guro Cantoshunetang (20,000 KRW), Honey Bread (4,500 KRW), Whole Red Bean Bread (2,500 KRW), and Cream Bread (2,500 KRW).

At the Gangnam Store, the 'Ari Kitchen' pop-up store will be held from the 20th to the 29th. Ari Kitchen is a creator affiliated with DIA TV, running a baking-specialized YouTube channel since 2015, and currently operates a macaron specialty dessert shop called 'Aricalong' in Suwon Gwanggyo. During this pop-up, Ari Kitchen will sell 12 types of macarons developed directly by the creator.

Shinsegae Department Store stated, "We have been striving to discover various local bakeries," adding, "Our dessert buyers are so dedicated that they are nicknamed the 'Shinsegae Paldo Wanderers,' constantly traveling nationwide to conduct 'bakery pilgrimages.'" The Gangnam Store is considered a platform that introduces hidden bakeries. Heo Seong-moo, the dessert buyer at Shinsegae Department Store, said, "I check SNS and online communities daily to keep up with the latest trends," and added, "Even when I visit provinces for personal reasons, I always stop by local bakeries or dessert shops to try their popular products."

‘Lee Heung-yong Pastry Shop,’ first introduced by Shinsegae in 2014, has expanded to three stores within Shinsegae over five years. After entering the Gangnam Store in 2017, owner-chef Lee Heung-yong earned the title of 'Master Baker of Korea' within a year.

There are also cases where hidden gem stores were discovered and grew together with Shinsegae. ‘Hotel Deux,’ located in Seoul’s Seorae Village, is a cafe that opened in 2010. Chef Jung Hong-yeon, the first Korean to serve as a pastry chef at Japan’s prestigious Rihga Royal Hotel, opened it. Starting as a junior patissier and rising to top chef, Chef Jung is renowned for creating cakes for the Japanese imperial family and cakes listed in the Guinness World Records. After persistent efforts by Shinsegae buyers, the cafe was introduced to the Gangnam Store and has grown together since.

According to Shinsegae Department Store, popular local bakeries also help drive department store sales. Currently, desserts account for one-fifth of the food hall sales at Shinsegae Gangnam Store, showing a significant share. Once word spreads on SNS or online, customers flock to take certification photos, creating a strong synergy effect. Customers who come to eat famous bread or desserts often continue shopping in the food hall or other stores, making the inclusion of local bakeries a win-win situation for the department store.

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