Rising Prices Boost Home Drinking Trend... Homemade Snacks Also Soaring

Rising Dining-Out Prices Boost Interest in Home Drinking and Homemade Anju
Food Industry Launches Ready-to-Eat Anju Products Continuously
Convenience Store Anju Grows with Emphasis on Cost-Effectiveness and Variety

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Since COVID-19, purchasing alcoholic beverages at convenience stores and enjoying drinks alone at home, known as home drinking and solo drinking, have become part of everyday life, leading to increased interest in easy-to-enjoy home snacks that pair well with alcohol.

According to a survey by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) on the 6th, the most popular trend in alcoholic beverages in Korea last year was purchasing from convenience stores, accounting for 76.5% (multiple responses allowed). Home drinking (51.5%) and solo drinking (36.3%) ranked second and third, followed by home drinking snacks (17.8%).

With convenience stores offering excellent accessibility and recently expanding the variety of alcoholic beverages they sell, consumer purchases of alcohol at convenience stores have steadily increased. As more consumers choose to drink at home rather than at specialized restaurants, interest in home snacks enjoyed with alcohol has also risen. Although daily life restrictions due to COVID-19 are gradually returning to normal, and dining-out consumption sentiment is expected to recover, factors such as high dining-out prices, preference for meals at home, and increased remote work suggest that home drinking and solo drinking trends will continue.

The industry is responding to these trends by introducing various products such as packaged bar snacks like chicken feet and pork skin that are difficult to prepare at home, and snacks reflecting the unique characteristics of regional night markets. Representative brands include Daesang Cheongjeongwon’s ‘Anjuya’, Ourhome’s ‘Yasijang’, Dongwon F&B’s ‘Simyashikdang’, and Ottogi’s ‘Ogam Pocha’. The main consumer base is also expanding from young consumers to all age groups.

Convenience store snacks are expanding their market share by emphasizing not only taste but also cost-effectiveness. In a situation where both dining-out and delivery costs are rising due to inflation, convenience store snacks offer the advantage of being convenient and economical by allowing consumers to purchase snacks that pair well with alcohol all at once. Especially through various price discounts and promotional events such as 2+1 deals and additional gifts, consumers can purchase high-quality food at reasonable prices, resulting in high satisfaction.

Recently, products processed from various ingredients such as meat, dairy, and dried seafood have been released, considering their compatibility with alcohol. While convenience store snacks used to be mainly frozen items, a variety of refrigerated products have recently been introduced, broadening consumer choices. Sales have also been on the rise, with GS25 reporting that refrigerated and frozen snack sales increased by 13.2% and 21.0%, respectively, compared to the previous year, and CU also recorded sales increases of 12.9% and 23.3% in processed meat and dried snacks, respectively.

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