Strawberry Prices Continue to Soar This Month... Expected to Be 25% Higher Than Last Year

Convenience Stores, Strawberry Dessert Sales Up↑

On the 12th, a customer is examining strawberries at a large supermarket in downtown Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The strong strawberry prices seen at the beginning of the year are expected to continue this month. As strawberry prices continue to soar, sales of relatively affordable strawberry desserts at convenience stores have significantly increased.

According to the Agricultural Outlook Center of the Korea Rural Economic Institute on the 12th, the price of 2kg of strawberries in February is expected to rise by 25% compared to the same month last year, reaching 25,000 won. This is due to a 10% decrease in shipment volume this month compared to the previous year, caused by a reduction in strawberry cultivation area and poor crop conditions.

However, the trend is stabilizing compared to last month. The price of 2kg of strawberries last month was 39,800 won, up 61% from the same month last year. Especially in late last month, prices rose to as high as 47,000 won ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. A representative from the Korea Rural Economic Institute said, "After mid-February, temperatures will rise and growth will improve, leading to an increase in strawberry shipments," adding, "Prices are expected to fall to the low 20,000 won range."

On the 12th, a model is introducing the strawberry dessert series products at the convenience store CU.

At convenience stores, more people are seeking strawberry desserts. At CU, sales of strawberry desserts increased by 17.3% year-on-year from the 1st of last month to the 8th of this month. During the same period, GS25 saw a 176% increase, Seven Eleven 123.1%, and Emart24 42%.

Strawberry desserts are gradually expanding their range to include macarons, cakes, jellies, puddings, parfaits, and more. CU currently offers five types of strawberry desserts and plans to strengthen its product lineup by launching a strawberry milk roll cake next week. At CU, strawberry omelet and chewy macaron strawberry rank first and second respectively in overall dessert sales. In December last year, demand for strawberry tiramisu exploded, causing stock to run out and sales to be suspended for about a week.

GS25 sells eight types of strawberry desserts, and its strawberry sandwich, sold as a winter limited product every year, has surpassed 18 million units in cumulative sales since its launch in 2015. At Seven Eleven, the Strawberry First Love Sandwich ranks first among all sandwich products, and at Emart24, the Strawberry Holic Sandwich ranks third.

Although strawberry prices have recently surged, the convenience store industry is maintaining stable supply. This is because they pre-purchase quantities through contracts with producers before the strawberries are harvested. A convenience store industry official explained, "From May every year, raw material purchasing managers visit famous strawberry cultivation areas nationwide such as Nonsan, Goryeong, Sancheong, and Hadong to negotiate strawberry supply and secure a stable raw material supply chain."

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