"Thick or Thin"... Popular Samgyeopsal Thickness Also Shows 'Polarization'

A consumer is looking at samgyeopsal at Emart.

Emart's Thick Samgyeopsal Sales Up 63.8% Year-on-Year, Three Times Thicker than Regular Samgyeopsal
2mm Thick 'Thinly Sliced Samgyeopsal' and Low-Fat 'Slim Samgyeopsal' Also Popular

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Yuri] As demand for samgyeopsal becomes more segmented, 'customer-tailored samgyeopsal' is gaining popularity. In this process, a 'polarization' phenomenon in samgyeopsal thickness has also been observed.

Emart announced on the 17th that it will sell 'Thick Samgyeopsal' at a 20% discount from the regular price when paying with event cards until the 20th.

Emart launched this thick samgyeopsal discount event due to a significant increase in customer demand. Emart saw potential in the popularization of air fryers last March and released thick samgyeopsal. Thick samgyeopsal is about three times thicker than regular samgyeopsal. The thickness of regular samgyeopsal sold at Emart is around 8mm, while thick samgyeopsal reaches 25mm in thickness. Thanks to this, it has excellent texture and is better suited for grilling over direct fire or on a grate rather than using a home frying pan or grill. It is ideal for grilling during camping or outdoor activities. Emart explained, "As camping has gained nationwide popularity due to COVID-19, the demand has also increased accordingly."

From March to September this year, Emart's thick samgyeopsal sales increased by 63.8% compared to the same period last year. This figure far exceeds the overall samgyeopsal sales growth rate of 15.3% during the same period. The 'Scored Samgyeopsal,' about 15mm thick, is also popular. This product, which has 4mm deep scores at 9mm intervals, recorded a growth rate of 23.6% last year and saw sales increase by 22.7% compared to the same period last year through September this year.

Conversely, the demand for 'Thinly Sliced Samgyeopsal,' cut to about 2mm thickness, and low-fat 'Slim Samgyeopsal' is also increasing. From January to September this year, Emart's thinly sliced samgyeopsal sales rose by 94.5% compared to the same period last year. Thinly sliced samgyeopsal is easy to grill at home and, thanks to its thinness, is also good for adding to kimchi stew or making duruchigi (spicy stir-fried pork).

The slim samgyeopsal, first introduced in the domestic distribution industry in March this year, surpassed cumulative sales of 3 billion KRW within six months of its launch. Slim samgyeopsal has a lower intramuscular fat content of 10-12%, compared to 10-15% in regular samgyeopsal. Emart noted that consumer preference for samgyeopsal with an appropriate fat content is high and said it partnered with Korea's leading pork producer 'Dodram' to develop the product. They explained that slim samgyeopsal was realized using the 'Autofom III' equipment, which measures the fat content of pork carcasses using ultrasound.

Emart operates 'Whole Samgyeopsal,' which customers can cut as needed, 'Animal Welfare Samgyeopsal' made from pigs raised in ethical farming environments, and 'Antibiotic-Free Samgyeopsal' as part of its 'specialized samgyeopsal' lineup. From January to September this year, Emart's specialized samgyeopsal sales increased by 59.6% compared to the same period last year. During the same period, the share of specialized samgyeopsal sales in total samgyeopsal sales also rose from 25.1% to 36.1%, an increase of 11.0 percentage points.

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