S. Korean Goobne Chicken opens 1st US branch

Goobne Chicken, one of the leading South Korean chicken franchises, said Friday that it has opened its first US branch in LA. The store, located at Korean supermarket Hannam Chain Del Amo in Torrance, LA, will bring various Korean-style chicken flavors to cater to the growing interest in K-food in the US, it added. According to Goobne Chicken CEO Chung Tae-yong, the company also plans a second branch in the US later this year. In 2014, Goobne Chicken opened its first international branch in

Aug. 12, 2022

Starbucks Korea to recall 1.8m giveaway bags containing toxic chemicals

Starbucks Korea said Thursday it will voluntarily recall some 1.8 million giveaway “summer carry bags” after drawing public ire for handing out items containing cancer-causing chemicals. After consulting with the state-run Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, the company decided to recall over 1 million bags that were given away and 16,200 bags sold online starting from Aug. 11 to Oct. 11. Customers who received the bags as giveaway items after purchasing 17 Starbucks drink

Aug. 11, 2022

70m Pokemon bread sales provide record Q2 revenue for SPC Samlip

South Korean confectionery company SPC Samlip said Wednesday that it has posted an all-time high sales record of over 800 billion won ($611.4 million) in the second quarter, driven by the popularity of its Pokemon Bread, of which the company sold 70 million packs for the last six months. The company’s second quarter sales surged on-year by 14 percent to 814.9 billion won in sales, while its net profit skyrocketed by 61.5 percent to 23.5 billion won in the cited period. Key growth drivers

Aug. 10, 2022

Neck fans, a clever or harmful invention?

“Neck fans” are a popular item in the summer which can be worn around the neck and help fight off heat. Without having to be handheld, the gadget is praised as a clever invention by those who want a cooling breeze just for themselves while on the go, such as joggers, delivery workers or just outdoor lovers. According to Shinsegae International’s lifestyle brand Jaju, sales of summer home appliances including portable fans saw a 144 percent jump between June 27 and July 10 c

Aug. 8, 2022

Golfwear market goes luxury in S. Korea

As golf becomes one of the most enjoyed leisure activities in South Korea, not only fashion companies but also others far from apparel business are launching luxury golfwear products, expanding the market size by value. According to the Korea Leisure Industry Institute, the value of the local golfwear industry, which was placed at 4.5 trillion won ($3.5 billion) in 2019, grew about 10 percent annually, despite ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. The market size was placed at 5.6 trillion won as of 2

Aug. 8, 2022

Shinsegae Food launches plant-based canned ham

Shinsegae Food said Thursday that it plans to enter the global alternative meat market with its newly launched plant-based canned ham. “Hormel Foods’ Spam has dominated the global canned ham market since 1926. But in almost 100 years, we have become the first to make a vegan canned ham that has almost the same taste and texture,” said Song Hyun-suk, Shinsegae Food CEO, during a press conference. Song added that compared to other competitors who promote Korean foods unfamilia

July 28, 2022

Retail sales up 9.3% in H1 amid eased virus curbs

Retail sales in South Korea rose 9.3 percent on-year in the first half of this year amid eased COVID-19 curbs and the growth in people's outdoor activities, the industry ministry said Thursday. The combined sales of 25 major offline and online retailers reached 82 trillion won ($65.2 billion) in the January-June period, up from 75 trillion won a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Sales from offline stores rose 8.4 percent in the Janua

July 28, 2022

Retailers end early-morning deliveries, citing high costs

Despite the pandemic-triggered e-commerce boom, some South Korean retailers have begun shutting down early-morning deliveries, saying that the cutthroat competition for early bird customers has led to increased operating costs. GS Fresh Mall, an online shopping mall under GS Retail Group, said Wednesday it plans to suspend its early-morning delivery service starting July 31. The company said it has decided to stop the service because of the large cost of additional payrolls for couriers, and

July 27, 2022

Starbucks Korea to compensate more depending on toxicity test of giveaway bags

Facing criticism over toxic chemicals claimed to have been found in Starbucks Korea giveaway “summer carry bags,” the company said Tuesday that it might consider additional compensation to appease angry customers. “Depending on the internal investigation result of a formaldehyde level test of the bags, the company might decide whether it will provide compensation other than giving free drink coupons,” a representative from Starbucks Korea told The Korea Herald. “W

July 26, 2022

Debate reopens on 10 year-old supermarket shutdown rules

Sundays are often a day for family shopping, but supermarkets in South Korea don’t operate every second and fourth Sunday of each month. Under the mandatory shutdown rules, designated to protect mom-and-pop stores nearby from losing sales to discount store chains, supermarkets have closed twice a month for the last 10 years. But the ability to shop every Sunday may become possible again with tens of thousands of consumers asking the presidential office to scrap the rule. According to

July 25, 2022

Rice consumption cut in half over 30 years

The phrase “Have you eaten rice today?” has long been considered equivalent to “How are you?” in South Korea. But it might not be the case much longer, with rice consumption shrinking amid changing eating habits, especially among younger generations. According to data from Statistics Korea, the average rice consumption per person was 56.9 kilograms in 2021, a 17.3 percent fall over the past 10 years. Compared to 30 years ago, rice consumption was almost cut in half.

July 24, 2022

Barenbliss works with Korean experts to create skin brightening products

South Korean cosmetics brand Barenbliss said Friday that it has been working with top researchers to launch its new product line, “Meta Glow Series,” last month. Barenbliss has been operating its own research center, Barenbliss Skinlab, which has the necessary analytical facilities to test product safety and efficacy, the company said. The lab is headed by Yoon Myeong-seok, a professor of chemical and bio-engineering at Gachon University, and the Vice President of Cosmax R&I

July 22, 2022

‘No-spend challenge,’ a growing trend in S. Korea

Kim Ji-yeon, a 29-year-old elementary school teacher, stopped eating out during weekdays and started to eat lunch at a school canteen. Instead of going to cafes after lunch, Kim drinks instant coffee in her office. It has been two weeks since she has not spent any money during weekdays. “I first heard about the ‘no-spend challenge’ on Instagram, and thought it was a good way to save money. I was able to save around 200,000 won ($153) in two weeks.” Kim is one of the gr

July 21, 2022

Low-calorie foods show surge in sales

With the fast-growing appetite for low-calorie and healthy food sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, South Korean retailers have seen a spike in their “low-food” products. Low-food refers to low-calorie, gluten-free or non-alcohol food and beverage with fewer artificial additives. E-commerce platform WeMakePrice said on Tuesday that its zero-calorie soft drink sales surged 396 percent as of June. Sales of caffeine-free drinks increased by 96 percent. Among them, barley coffee, a

July 19, 2022

CJ CheilJedang to expand plant-based sales to W200b by 2025

South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang will boost its overseas and domestic sales of plant-based meat products to 200 billion won ($151.9 million) by 2025, the company said on Monday. “The US and European countries including the UK and Germany, and Japan, which show increasing demand for Korean food and culture, will be our key target markets. We also plan to make forays into China, Singapore and other southeast Asian countries, expanding global business to account for 70 percent of tota

July 18, 2022

Coffee delivery robots roll into Incheon airport

Travelers with little time to wait in long queues at airport cafes can now pick up a cup of coffee and a sandwich from delivery service robots at Korea‘s largest airport. Local food delivery app Baemin said Friday it launched a robot delivery service for airport cafes and bakeries located in Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1. Air-dilly, a service robot made by LG Electronics, will deliver food and beverages from Baskin Robins, Paris Baguette and two Dunkin’ location

July 15, 2022

Lotte, Shinsegae to build whiskey distilleries in Jeju

Retail giants Lotte and Shinsegae are set to enter the whiskey business by constructing distilleries on Jeju Island, home to some of Korea’s best-quality water. Lotte Chilsung Beverage, Lotte Group’s beverage arm, said Friday that it has recently received the green light from Jeju to change a former tangerine farm into whisky distillery. “After getting advice from experts, we picked Jeju Island because its natural environment, clean water and temperature are optimal con

July 15, 2022

Mint choco craze going overboard? KFC releases mint chocolate dipping sauce

Ever wondered how fried chicken would pair up with mint and chocolate? For those who have, the South Korean unit of fried chicken chain KFC has released a mint chocolate-flavored dipping sauce. The sauce, which is part of a seasonal collaboration with local food delivery app Baemin, will be available until Aug. 8 at locations across the country, excluding a select few. The mixture of “rich and sweet chocolate” and a “fresh mint flavor” has created the new sauce, the

July 13, 2022

SPC Group chairman attends Choose France event

SPC Group chairman Hur Young-in attended a global business event held by the French government as the only Korean entrepreneur to have participated in the event twice, the food company said Tuesday The one-day event, called Choose France, invites overseas companies to accelerate their investment in the second-largest economy in Europe. The government-led event has been held since 2018. On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a banquet to welcome global entrepreneurs from over 250 c

July 12, 2022

S. Korean convenience stores make forays into Malaysia

South Korean convenience stores are actively making forays into Malaysia, a lucrative market based on growing local demand for consumer goods and convenience stores, along with the Malaysian public’s great interest in Korean food. Korean convenience store chain GS25 said Monday it has partnered with Malaysian retail giant KK Group to open the first GS25 store in Malaysia next year. The two agreed to expand to 500 locations in five years. According to a report from GS25, Malaysia’s

July 11, 2022