[Distribution Hot People] BTS Jin's Favorite 'Maple Bread'... Aiming to Be a Steady Seller

Sold 1 Million Units in Just 18 Days
GS25 Bread Sales Rank 2nd to 6th
Popularity Due to Experiential Elements, Not Just Nostalgia

Choi Wonpil, the product planner (MD) in charge of bread at GS25, is introducing the maple bread.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] "Seeing the success of dramas like Twenty-Five Twenty-One and platforms like Cyworld, I wanted to commercialize nostalgic memories. Suddenly, I remembered the MapleStory game I played when I was 20, and thought it would be fun to combine it with bread."

On the 14th, at the GS Retail headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Choi Won-pil, the GS25 bread product planner (MD), said, "Maple bread became popular not just because of the retro trend, but because of new elements that customers could directly experience, such as sticker packs and game item events."

In fact, the five types of Maple bread surpassed 1 million units sold within 18 days of release. Looking at GS25 bread sales rankings, Maple bread occupies positions 2 through 6, right after Breadic Salt Butter Roll Cake. Choi MD explained, "The main buyers of Maple bread are people in their 20s and 30s," adding, "Recently, purchases by teenagers have also increased." Maple bread's daily maximum order quantities are all sold out. Choi MD said, "Currently, the order volume is much higher than regular bread, but daily production is limited, causing supply shortages. Each store's daily maximum order is limited to one of each of the five types, totaling 25 per week." Notably, Maple bread became a hot topic when BTS member Jin posted on social media that he "visited 15 convenience stores" to buy the product.

Choi MD stated, "We did not do any separate marketing for Maple bread. Initially, posts about the product appeared in game communities, naturally gaining popularity among game users. After that, I can't avoid mentioning BTS. I was really surprised and, as a product planner, very grateful and thankful."

Choi MD's goal for this year is to establish Maple bread as a steady seller. He said, "First, supply cannot keep up with demand, so we are focusing on stabilizing that. Then, we will discuss new products. I hope Maple bread becomes a product loved for a long time, not just a fleeting trend."

New product ideas mainly come from SNS and hip places. Choi MD said, "I try hard to get ideas from everyday life itself. When I visit trendy places popular among young people these days, like Cheongdam-dong, I see many elements that can attract interest. I also frequently visit famous bakeries and always consider whether products can be launched to fit convenience stores."

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