Retailers capitalize on high inflation with oversized food

[Photo provided by CU]

The trend of oversized food items, which is gaining momentum in South Korea, is proving to be a lucrative venture for convenience stores and supermarkets alike in an era of soaring prices.

CU, a major convenience store chain, recently unveiled its latest addition to the trend with the introduction of two giant hotdogs following the success of its supersized triangular kimbap. The giant hotdogs boast a 200g size, or 2.5 times larger than the standard 80g hotdogs, and feature an oversized 130g sausage that weights more than the typical market offering. CU’s Giant Series, first launched in 2014, has gained popularity as a cost-effective product, with cumulative sales surpassing 80 million units as of February 2024. The Super Large triangular kimbap, released during the previous week, has also proven popular, selling over 5,000 units on its debut day.

[Photo provided by GS Retail Co.]

GS25, another major convenience store chain, enjoyed tremendous success with its Jumbo Instant Cup Ramyun, which was released in May 2023. The product was so well received that it led to the creation of two subsequent editions. The Jumbo Instant Cup Ramyun, equivalent to eight regular servings, was initially produced in a limited batch of 50,000 units. But it was added to the product lineup permanently after quickly selling out within three days, resulting in a total sales figure of 1.7 million units to date. GS25 continued to capitalize on the trend by introducing the Jumbo Series 2nd and 3rd editions, with 2.7 million units of all three editions sold to date.

Emart Traders, a wholesale club known for its large-sized products, is renowned for the Livestock Retail Pack, offering meat at prices that are 5 to 15 percent lower than regular butcher shops. Customers can purchase about 2kg of chunky pork belly for around 30,000 won ($23) and 1.5kg of Grade 1 to 2 Hanwoo sirloin for the mid-80,000 won range.