South Korean convenience stores boost healthy options amid rising prices

South Korean convenience stores are increasingly competing to offer "healthy convenience foods," responding to consumer demand for healthier options amidst rising external food prices. Major chains like GS25, CU, and Emart24 are expanding their product lines, emphasizing high-protein, low-sugar, and low-sodium ingredients.

What once consisted mainly of salads and chicken breast has evolved into a wider range of healthy convenience meals, including kimbap, lunch boxes, and even burgers, all formulated with reduced sugar and sodium, and increased protein. GS25, for instance, has seen its high-protein kimbap and low-sugar triangle kimbap variants sell over 2.5 million units in just three months. Their "Tuna Egg Kimbap" and "Egg Mayo Kimbap," boasting around 15g of protein, have sold 1.5 million units alone.

CU is also bolstering its "The Healthier Convenience Food" line, launched in 2021, which has achieved over 3.5 million cumulative sales. Their Mediterranean-style "PBICK The Kitchen Mediterranean Kitchen" meal, released in May, has sold 800,000 units. In collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, CU introduced five "SEOUL MY SOUL Healthy Convenience Food" items in late July, featuring low-sugar, high-protein lunch boxes with ingredients like chicken breast and tofu, as well as kimbap, triangle kimbap, and sandwiches.

Emart24 is introducing three new convenience food items under its wellness brand "Gappunhanip" starting late July, adhering to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's nutritional standards. These include a "Grilled Mushroom Beef Burger" and two types of chicken breast sausages, reinterpreting popular convenience foods with considerations for sodium, saturated fat, calories, and sugar content.

The strategic push into healthy convenience foods aims to attract new customers who prioritize health, thereby expanding the overall market. This strategy appears to be paying off, as GS25 reported a 26.8% year-on-year increase in protein drink sales in the first half of the year, surpassing banana milk sales for the first time. Protein drinks also outsold chocolate milk and strawberry milk by significant margins. Industry insiders note that the focus on health is creating new demand for convenience foods like high-protein kimbap, and this trend is expected to continue as brands expand their healthy concept offerings.

“

As consumption that considers health spreads, high-protein kimbap and the like have established themselves as key products creating new demand for convenience foods.