CU's 'Bain de France' Popularity... Dedicated Bread Sales Surge 30%

A customer is looking at the 'Pain de France' product at CU (Photo by CU).

This Year’s Exclusive Bread Sales Up 30.7% Year-on-Year
High Proportion of Meal Replacement Breads Such as Shikppang, Bagels, and Croissants
Montblanc Danish Released on the 2nd

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] CU announced on the 2nd that sales of its private brand (PB) breads surged by 30% thanks to the popularity of its premium bakery brand 'Paeng de Franc (Pain de franc)'.

CU revealed that sales of exclusive breads from January to August this year rose 30.7% compared to the same period last year. This growth rate surpasses that of 8.8% in 2018, 14.7% in 2019, and 20.1% in 2020. The growth has been even steeper since the brand launch. Sales in the last three months increased by 48.8% year-on-year.

Regarding the increase in bread sales, the company analyzed that due to the impact of COVID-19, more people are eating at home rather than dining out, leading to a rise in those choosing bread instead of rice. Overall CU bread sales increased by 25.7% compared to the same period last year.

Among all Paeng de Franc products sold, meal replacement breads such as shikppang, bagels, and croissants account for nearly 70% of sales. The top three best-selling products are 'Raisin Walnut Croissant (2,000 KRW)', 'Espresso Croissant (2,000 KRW)', and '8% Fresh Cream Shikppang (1,800 KRW)'.

So far, a total of 15 Paeng de Franc products have been released, of which 10 are meal replacement items. CU is expanding its product lineup by adding new dessert-exclusive products in response to the recent increase in demand for exclusive breads.

The 'Montblanc Danish (2,000 KRW)', released on this day, is a product that emphasizes sweetness by topping syrup on Danish pastry. Its resilient bread texture prevents it from crumbling easily, allowing for a soft texture until the last bite. Throughout September, CU will hold a 1,000 KRW discount event for customers who purchase any Paeng de Franc product along with any of eight accompanying items: Dongwon Denmark Milk Chocolate and Strawberry (2 types), Maeil Milk Strawberry, Mocha, and Cocoa (3 types), and Binggrae Wooyam Strawberry, Chocolate, and Toffee Nut (3 types).

Jung Seungwook, head of the snack food team at BGF Retail, said, "We strictly adhere to development recipes using carefully selected ingredients so that customers can enjoy high-quality products at the convenience store level comparable to specialty stores." He added, "CU expects demand for convenience store breads to continue rising and plans to consistently introduce new products that meet the elevated consumer standards."

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