Convenience stores are focusing on the lunch box market to target the so-called 'solo holiday tribe' who will spend the extended Lunar New Year holiday alone. From nine side dishes to collaborations with chefs from the Black and White Culinary program, as well as game item prizes, the Lunar New Year lunch boxes have diversified.
According to the convenience store industry on the 26th, GS Retail, which operates GS25, was the first to release its Lunar New Year lunch box. The holiday lunch box quickly became the best-seller in lunch box sales right after its launch, prompting the company to release it a week earlier than previous years on the 14th. The quantity has also been doubled.
The holiday lunch box released by GS25 this time is named 'Generous Lunar New Year Lunch Box,' designed with a gujeolpan (nine-section plate) concept. It features nine selected dishes from representative holiday meals packed generously into a special container divided into nine sections of three by three. In particular, instead of the usual single rice option, there are now three varieties: abalone seaweed rice, black rice, and kimchi fried rice, and it includes six representative holiday dishes: bulgogi, neobiani, assorted jeon, and three-color seasoned vegetables. This diverse lunch box composition with various rice options is a first.
CU, operated by BGF Retail, has launched the 'Holiday 11-Dish Lunch Box.' It contains 11 types of food including jeon, japchae, seasoned vegetables, and pork bulgogi, along with dessert rice cakes. A thick rice cake also occupies the center of the lunch box. As explained by CU, this convenient meal was designed for single- or two-person households that find it challenging to individually prepare holiday dishes.
Seven Eleven presented a Lunar New Year special lunch box in collaboration with chef An Yu-sung, the 16th master of culinary arts in South Korea. The designation of a temporary holiday has turned this year's Lunar New Year into the longest 'golden holiday' lasting nine days, and Seven Eleven plans to increase the offerings of convenient meals during the holiday.
Notably, this is the first occasion where a holiday lunch box has been enhanced in taste and quality through a collaboration with a star chef. Chef An is a celebrity chef who appeared on the Netflix original variety program 'Black and White Culinary: Class Warfare.' The signature dish from his restaurant, Jangsu Hoegwan, which features garlic marinated ribs, will be offered in a lunch box as 'An Yu-sung Master Garlic Ribs Set.' The lunch box includes 14 different side dishes in addition to the garlic ribs.
Emart24 has released holiday lunch boxes 'Beef Bulgogi Tteok Mandu Soup Set' and 'Tteok Mandu Soup & Assorted Jeon' in collaboration with Netmarble's mobile casual board game 'Everyone's Marble.' The plan was inspired by the culture of playing games with family during the holiday, and a collaboration with a mobile game was established. Until the end of this month, there is a 30% discount available when purchasing with a promotional card. The lunch boxes also contain item coupons that can be used within the Everyone's Marble game.