“We gathered everything from health supplements to coffee in one place.”
On the morning of the 19th at 11 a.m. in Gangseo District, Seoul, a long line stretched outside the building. People flocked in for an 'open run' at Curlie's Food Festa, which is being held for the second time this year. Even though it was a weekday morning, the inside of the building was bustling with visitors.
Retail tech corporations Curlie began the offline gourmet festival ‘Curlie Food Festa 2024’ today, which runs for four days until the 22nd at COEX Magok Le West.
The theme of this year's event is Christmas, coinciding with the end of the year. Visitors can taste various products and participate in events in eight alleys set up within the Christmas Village (convenience foods, seafood and livestock, alcoholic beverages, fresh produce, health, bakery, grocery, coffee and snacks).
According to Curlie, the scale of the event has doubled compared to last year. Curlie's 128 partner companies and over 230 food and beverage (F&B) brands are participating.
The event showcased upcoming food trends for next year. The trend of pursuing both taste and health has strengthened, leading to noticeable booths featuring low-sugar or zero-calorie beverages and plant-based tuna products. Booths displaying health supplements, such as dietary fiber and red ginseng, also caught the attention of attendees.
In the Curlie brand zone, visitors can taste various desserts and ingredients from around the world.
Curlie Bakery featured international Christmas desserts, such as Germany's Stollen and France's Bûche de Noël. In Curlie Deli, visitors can sample this year's first harvest of fresh olive oil from Spain, Italy, and Greece. Curlie Egg Farm introduced organic eggs, including blue eggs.
Several food companies also announced their participation in Curlie Food Festa. CJ CheilJedang, which presented the exclusive product 'Golden Queen Hatbap' at last year's event, showcased the jointly planned ‘Cheilmatge Curlie’ product.
Nut specialty corporation HBAF also introduced new products for the first time. Our Home operates a booth for the frozen meal replacement brand ‘On-the-Go’, featuring diverse tastings and giveaway events.
Famous cafes also set up booths at the event. Franchise cafes such as Blue Bottle, Fritz, and Momos Coffee, along with local renowned cafes, sold coffee beans and other items.
Special events will also be held during the festa period. Famous chefs, including Choi Hyun-seok, Jeong Ho-young, and Song Ha-seul-ram (side dish chef), who appeared on Netflix’s Black and White Chef, will provide ready-to-eat meals prepared on-site. There will also be various spectacles and entertainment, including a tuna cutting show.
Curlie noted that the scale of this event has doubled compared to the first Curlie Food Festa held last July, expecting that over 30,000 people will visit the site over the four days. In fact, more than 2,000 people entered just one hour after the gates opened.
Choi Jae-hoon, Curlie's Chief Commerce Officer, said, “The second Curlie Food Festa has been meticulously planned to allow customers to experience finding their personal preferences offline. I hope everyone creates wonderful memories at this year-end festival created by Curlie and its partners.”