Premium desserts increasingly popular in Korea

[Courtesy of Ildong Foodis]

Premium desserts such as Greek yogurt, yogurt ice cream, and gelato made with natural ingredients are gaining popularity among consumers. The trend aligns with the ‘healthy pleasure’ movement, which emphasizes nutritious and delicious foods, and the ‘small luxury’ trend, where people treat themselves to affordable luxuries.

According to industry sources on Thursday, the yogurt market has seen a rising demand for thick Greek yogurt, which is made by removing whey. Greek yogurt has higher protein content and lower sugar than regular yogurt and is also listed among the world’s top five health foods by U.S. magazine “Health.”

Data from the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) shows that the Korean market for spoonable yogurt reached 504 billion won ($368.83 million) in 2023, up 5 percent from the previous year. Notably, the offline market for Greek yogurt grew by about 46 percent to drive the overall growth of the spoonable yogurt market.

In response to this trend, companies have unveiled various Greek yogurt products. Ildong Foodis’ ‘Foodis Greek’ is known for being made in the traditional Greek homemade style and has sold over 100 million units since its launch in 2012. The 450g large-sized product, launched in 2021, has seen an average annual sales growth of 22 percent, exceeding 10 million cumulative units in the first half of 2024. Foodis Greek is priced more than 1.6 times higher than regular yogurt, with Greek yogurts from brands like YOZM and Greek Day costing as much as 4,000 won per 100g.

Yogurt-based dessert shops are also gaining traction. Yoajung is popular for its healthy desserts. Customers can enjoy yogurt ice cream or Greek yogurt with various toppings such as honeycomb, fruits, granola, and chocolate. The basic yogurt costs 4,500 won for one serving and 8,000 won for two servings, with toppings like honeycomb and blueberries priced at around 3,000 won each, with the total price easily exceeding 10,000 won. There are now around 350 locations since the first store opened in 2021.

Premium Gelato at Baskin-Robbins’ Hive Hannam branch. [Courtesy of SPC]

Gelato made from natural ingredients is also popular, particularly those served with fresh toppings. Baskin-Robbins’ Hive Hannam branch has a specialized gelato area with flavors like lemon, yogurt, and apple mango. The franchise also operates a live gelato station where customers can enjoy fresh gelato combinations on the spot. Prices start at around 6,000 won and increase with added toppings.

In Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, a new gelato café has opened inside Passion5. It offers handmade gelato in flavors like pistachio, chocolate, and mango, as well as gelato parfaits and crepes. Its signature product, the gelato parfait peach, features layers of peach slices, ginger meringue, and Viennese cookies, and is priced at nearly 40,000 won.