"In an Era of High Prices, Hyeja Delivers"...GS25's "Kim Hyeja Ready Meals" Sell 100 Million Units in 3 Years

Rapid Growth After Re-launch
Brand Trust and High Inflation Demand Align
530 Million Units Sold Since 2010
Categories Expanded from Lunchboxes to Salads and Bread

GS25, the convenience store operated by GS Retail, announced on April 23 that its private brand (PB) ready meal line, "Hyejaroun Brand," has surpassed 100 million units sold within three years of its re-launch.

Hyejaroun originated with a lunchbox product launched in 2010 in collaboration with actress Kim Hyeja, under the concept of "homestyle meals made with a mother's devotion." In the 2020s, as dining-out prices soared to the point where the term "lunchflation" (lunch + inflation) emerged, requests for a re-release grew, and in February 2023, GS25 resumed its collaboration with Kim Hyeja. The product line was fully revamped to improve both ingredients and manufacturing processes, reflecting changing consumer trends and higher customer expectations.

A model is introducing affordable brand products at GS25. Provided by GS Retail

The cumulative sales of this brand have reached 530 million units, adding the 430 million units sold between 2010 and 2017. GS25 analyzed that the long-standing brand trust, combined with a value-driven consumption trend in a high inflation era, contributed to these results. Since its re-launch, the product lineup has expanded beyond ready meals like lunchboxes and gimbap to include salads and bread, broadening the concept of a "single meal." In fact, the "Hyejaroun Dessert" series, introduced last month at a flat price of 1,500 won, sold a cumulative total of 1 million units in just one month.

Park Jongseo, Head of the Fresh Food (FF) team at GS Retail, stated, "The Hyejaroun Brand has established itself as the most trusted ready meal for customers in this era of high inflation through reasonable pricing and continuous quality improvement." He added, "We will continue to solidify our position as the 'nation's ready meal' by developing products that reflect changing food culture and consumption trends."

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