Cherry Blossoms Bloom, Selling Like Hotcakes... Which Convenience Store Product Saw a 1292% Sales Surge?

Sales of picnic items like dotjari up 322%
Increased sales of ready meals and RTD alcoholic beverages too

Due to warmer-than-usual weather and early cherry blossom blooming, convenience store sales around parks and tourist spots such as Yeouido and the Han River in Seoul have surged compared to the same period last year.

GS Retail disclosed the sales of about 100 GS25 convenience stores located in parks and tourist areas over the past week (March 25-31). According to the data, sales of outing supplies increased significantly compared to the same period last year. In particular, sales of mats, a representative outing item, rose by 322%.

Among food items, the growth of ready meals such as lunch boxes and Ready To Drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages stood out. Sales of ready meals increased by 271%, and RTD alcoholic beverages such as highballs also rose by 220%. Additionally, due to the early summer-like daytime weather, sales of ▲Cafe25 (coffee beans) iced menu increased by 170%, ▲ice cups by 142%, ▲frozen desserts by 125%, and ▲beer by 110%.

On the 31st, citizens visiting the area around Yeouiseo-ro in Seoul, where cherry blossoms are in full bloom, are enjoying the spring atmosphere. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

The sales growth rate of about twenty stores located near the Han River and Yeouido was about three times higher than that of stores near general tourist spots. The item that enjoyed the greatest special demand in these stores was mats, with sales skyrocketing by 1292% compared to the previous year. Sales of representative Han River area food items also rose significantly compared to last year: ▲instant ramen by 611%, ▲ready meals by 452%, ▲RTD alcoholic beverages by 420%, ▲beer by 396%, ▲ice cups by 348%, and ▲frozen desserts by 299%.

GS Retail has secured more than five times the usual stock of key products at stores near cherry blossom spots, as the cherry blossom festival period remains. A GS Retail official said, "With the lifting of the mask mandate and rising temperatures, the number of outing visitors has greatly increased, leading to a significant rise in sales at major tourist spots and parks," adding, "As the cherry blossom festival reaches its peak, we expect the sales growth trend to become even steeper."

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