[THE INVESTOR]  Local convenience stores have started exporting their own brands of snacks and instant foods overseas, industry officials said on Sept. 7.

CU, a chain operated by BGF Retail, has been exporting two types of its private brand cup noodles to China through Chinese online shopping mall Jumei from this year. GS25 has collaborated with popular local Chinese restaurant Gonghwachun to make the store’s own Chinese-style instant noodles, and is now exporting them to Australia and New Zealand.

With Me, another chain, succeeded in exporting its grapefruit-flavored ice cream, launched in May, to Russia. Company officials said the ice snack is popular in the country as being effective for hangovers.

The first such exporter was 7-Eleven. Last year, it sold over 1,300 boxes of dried seaweed laver and eight different kinds of snacks to Malaysia.

Industry officials said while the volume of exports is not large, it is expected to grow in the long run.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)