Frozen over fresh is the new trend in Korean consumerism

Packaged side dishes and frozen foods are gaining popularity as the cost of dining out and the appetite for quick eats grow. Even common fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits have become trendy in the subzero status.

Packaged side dish products are displayed at a convenience store in Nowon District, northern Seoul, on September 2022. [NEWS1]

Packaged side dishes and frozen foods are gaining popularity as the cost of dining out and the appetite for quick eats grow. Even common fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits have become trendy in the subzero status.

CJ CheilJedang’s packaged side dish product lineup Bibigo Chan reached 10 million units sold since its launch in August 2019, the food company announced Sunday. The average annual revenue for Bibigo Chan stood at 10 billion won ($7.62 million) with last year’s monthly revenue doubling that of 2019.

Packaged side dish products refer to ready-made garnishes that are either pickled, seasoned, boiled, stir-fried or salted. The packaged side dish market size is estimated to be 600 billion won, according to food industry sources.

Braised beef jangjorim (dish marinated in soy sauce) was sold the most among Bibigo Chan products, tailed by quail egg jangjorim and stir-fried dried squid.

“Packaged side dishes that are easy to store and can be purchased in small servings are emerging as an alternative food choice amid the rising cost of eating out,” a spokesperson for CJ CheilJedang said.

Dongwon Dear Food is also taking a shot at the side dish market. Its online mall for home-cooked meals The Banchan sells more than 500 dishes made by 20 lead chefs and 80 cooks.

The market is “on a growing trend, with the monthly revenue for spring greens this season mounting to 100 million won,” said a spokesperson for Dongwon Group.

Packaged sauces are surfacing as another popular item since customers do not have to purchase multiple ingredients to make the same sauce themselves.

Sempio’s condiments brand Semie’s Kitchen sold 6.8 million products between its launch in April 2019 until December last year, led by revenues in spices for kimchi and jangjorim. The annual revenue for CJ CheilJedang’s seasoning brand Dadam climbed by 7 percent on average in the past five years.

A customer shops for frozen blueberries at a discount store in Seoul on Sunday. [YONHAP]

The rising consumer price of vegetables is turning consumers toward frozen food products. The revenue for frozen vegetables last month rose 22.4 percent since April last year, outpacing the revenue growth for vegetables in general, at 2.4 percent, by nearly tenfold, Emart announced Sunday.

The wholesale price for 15 kilograms (33 pounds) of onions last month surged 199 percent on year to 25,579 won, according to Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation’s Korea Agricultural Marketing Information Service. Ten kilograms of red peppers jumped 97.4 percent and 1 kilogram of leeks went up 33.6 percent.

Frozen fruits are also on a rapid rise. Emart’s revenue for frozen fruits increased 3.2 percent over the last year, but it has grown 23.1 percent since March.

The revenue for frozen mangoes since last month have advanced 30.7 percent, while that of fresh mangoes dropped 30.6 percent. Frozen blueberries grew 36.7 percent, but fresh blueberries lost 23.5 percent.

Frozen meat products followed a similar trend. Frozen pork in Emart stores soared 42.4 percent in revenue over the last 12 months while the revenue for all pork products grew 3.1 percent over the same period.

“Frozen vegetables are economical because they have long storage lives and can be frozen,” said a spokesperson for Emart, who added that the rise of single-person households that pursue convenience is also a factor in the emerging frozen food market.

BY CHOI SUN-EUL [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]