As the Number of 'Jipbapjok' Increases, Demand for Premium Seasonings Rises... Lotte Mart Expands Lunar New Year Gift Sets

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the population cooking at home has increased, leading to a rise in demand for premium seasonings.

Lotte Mart announced on the 6th that during the entire month of December, sales of "imported sauces," including truffle sauce, increased by 70.7% compared to the same period last year; sales of "processed salts," including pink salt, rose by 43.7%; and sales of "imported edible oils," including coconut oil and truffle olive oil, grew by 9.9%.

This is analyzed as an effect of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased the number of 'home meal' and 'home cooking' enthusiasts, leading to greater interest in diverse and new flavors beyond dishes flavored with ordinary seasonings.

This trend began during the last Chuseok gift set period and was also reflected in the high demand for premium products that upgraded existing items. Among the two types of ‘Live Salt Sets’ first introduced by Lotte Mart last Chuseok, the higher-priced set accounted for more than 80% of total Live Salt Set sales. Although it was expected that the relatively cheaper product priced in the 70,000 KRW range would be more popular, in reality, the demand for the 90,000 KRW set, about 20,000 KRW more expensive, was higher.

Accordingly, Lotte Mart will increase the number of premium seasoning sets handled for the upcoming Lunar New Year, expanding from 2 types last Chuseok to 6 types with 4 additional sets. The representative product is the ‘Live Salt Set (Persian Blue),’ which includes Himalayan natural pink salt with a grinder and wood stand, sold to L.Point members for 76,000 KRW, and the ‘Live Salt Set (Himalayan),’ consisting only of pink salt, sold to L.Point members for 60,000 KRW.

For the first time this year, the seasoning sets include the ‘Sabini Tartufi Mini Truffle Set,’ composed of 100ml black truffle olive oil and 30g truffle salt, offered to L.Point members at a 20% discount for 54,400 KRW, and the ‘Don Giovanni Olive Oil and Balsamic Set,’ consisting of 250ml Don Giovanni olive oil and 250ml 5-year aged balsamic vinegar, also offered to L.Point members at a 20% discount for 64,000 KRW.

Im Kyungmi, MD (Merchandiser) of the Seasoning and Substitute Food Team at Lotte Mart, said, “Considering the continued increase in demand for premium products due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, we planned premium seasoning sets.”

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