New Menu Starts with Experiments... Future-Oriented Store 'Lab' is Rising

Indoor view of the future-oriented Paris Baguette store 'Lab of Paris Baguette' located in Pangyo, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do.

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] The food and beverage and dining industries are increasingly opening lab-style stores where they develop and experiment with new menu items. These spaces serve as so-called test bases or "antenna shops," allowing companies to quickly gauge customer reactions before launching new products or starting new businesses.

According to the industry on the 27th, SPC Group's Paris Baguette opened a directly managed store called "Lab of Paris Baguette" in front of Pangyo Station in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province on the 25th. This lab-style store reflects the regional characteristics of Pangyo, where many IT companies are concentrated. Lab of Paris Baguette features contactless systems such as unmanned pickup boxes and unmanned payment. A smart ordering system that uses AI technology to analyze data such as foot traffic, date, and weather to determine the optimal order quantity has also been introduced. In collaboration with LG Display, large transparent organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels were installed on the store's signboard and interior walls. This store sells a limited edition product called "Pangyo Hogam Sand," which contains walnuts, buttercream, and caramel sandwiched between cookies. Additionally, there are offerings such as "Design Salad," where customers can combine vegetables, fruits, meats, and dressings to their liking, and "Order Made Cake" for custom orders.

Mamstouch's first lab store, "Moms Chicken," has received positive reviews from consumers by attempting to sell other menu items such as pizza in addition to its existing burger menu. They are currently operating the second store "Moms Pizza," the third store "Garden Yeoksam Branch," and the fourth store "Terrace Yongsan Branch." Mamstouch Lab is a branch opened to develop new menu items and improve service quality, serving as a channel to strengthen the competitiveness of franchise stores.

Ediya Coffee's large-scale 500-pyeong coffee research center "Ediya Coffee Lab," established in 2016 in Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul, has attracted industry attention since its opening by actively conducting research and development not only on its main product, coffee, but also on bakery items such as bread and cakes.

An industry insider explained, "To strengthen competitiveness in the increasingly fierce food and beverage market, each company is putting effort into developing new menu items," adding, "Lab-style stores where research and development can be conducted are convenient spaces to observe consumer reactions before fully launching new products beyond the main offerings."

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