Lotte Mart Sees Surge in Unique Vegetable Sales... "Making Home Meals More Abundant"

Four-leaf clover sold at Lotte Mart.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chunhan] Demand for exotic vegetables is increasing. It appears that customers tired of repetitive home-cooked meals due to COVID-19 are turning their attention to unique ingredients.

According to Lotte Mart on the 22nd, from January 1 to the 15th of this month, sales of exotic vegetables such as shallots, endive, and barley sprouts increased by 106.5% compared to the same period last year, and sales of herb vegetables like basil, rosemary, and apple mint also grew by 169.5%.

Lotte Mart is actively strengthening its exotic fresh food offerings to introduce a wider variety of fresh products considering customer demand. In February, they launched GAP Salatrio and GAP Crystal Lettuce, harvested with roots intact and commercialized. Starting from the 25th, they plan to add two more exotic vegetables at some metropolitan area stores including Seocho, Jamsil, and Pangyo branches, selling a total of seven types of exotic fresh foods.

The newly introduced exotic vegetables include four-leaf clover (10 pieces), which can add a point of interest to salads and various dishes, priced at 3,480 KRW, and parsnip (600g), a sweet root vegetable resembling a carrot and known domestically as sugar carrot, priced at 3,980 KRW. Lotte Mart plans to continue expanding its exotic fresh food lineup that makes ordinary dishes more special.

A Lotte Mart representative said, “As the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has made daily life monotonous, more customers are seeking various exotic products. We plan to respond to changing consumer trends by providing enjoyable experiences through exotic fresh foods.”

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