"'Ice brûlée' is a case that proves the potential for convenience store ice cream to become a premium dessert beyond a snack."Lee Joo-yong, GS25 ice cream MD
The premium ice cream 'Ice brûlée' recently introduced by GS25 has emerged as a 'game changer' in the ice cream market, surpassing 150 million won in sales within a day of its launch. This is the highest daily sales figure for ice cream since GS25's establishment. Lee Joo-yong, the GS25 MD (merchandise planner) who led the product development, noted during an interview with ChosunBiz at GS Tower in Gangnam, Seoul, on the 30th of last month, "I dream of premiumizing convenience store ice cream."
Ice brûlée is a product developed based on the French dessert 'crème brûlée'. While it pays homage to similar Japanese ice cream, efforts were made to differentiate it. Sugar is sprinkled over the cool cream ice cream, and the surface is caramelized to maximize visual and tactile pleasure. The MD said, "Thanks to a new concept and the fun of eating that are hard to find in existing products, word of mouth spread rapidly, especially through social media (SNS), leading to quick popularity."
From the early stages of product planning, the MD contacted over ten domestic OEM (original equipment manufacturer) companies. However, due to equipment limitations, production was difficult. Thus, he searched high and low for small to medium enterprises with technological skills. He said, "In this process, I discovered the handmade dessert company 'Loro Melo' with related technological capabilities, and by applying some manual processes, we were able to establish a production system that allows sugar caramelization."
Maintaining a crispy texture during distribution was also a critical challenge. The moisture from the ice cream caused the coating layer to become soggy. By increasing the animal fat content in the ice cream by about 10% compared to existing products, a heavy and smooth texture was achieved. The MD explained, "We repeated dozens of tests to enhance the quality, ensuring that the sugar layer does not become soggy even when stored for a long time," adding, "The differentiating factor from Japanese products is the chocolate coating layer that prevents sogginess."
Consumer response was explosive right from the launch. The GS25 exclusive app 'Our Neighborhood GS' recorded the top real-time stock search term. Within ten days, the number of stores ordering the product increased more than fivefold from 3,000 to 16,000. Despite the high price of 4,500 won, women in their 20s and 30s and teenage consumers familiar with SNS responded actively. The initial stock sold out much faster than expected, leading to a decision to run the production line day and night to increase the supply to double the existing amount.
GS25 considers 'Ice brûlée' a successful representative case that deviated from the traditional supply structure centered on large partner companies, collaborating instead with skilled small to medium-sized manufacturers. Currently, three flavors of ice brûlée—vanilla, chocolate, and matcha—have been released, with new products also in development. Lee Joo-yong MD stated, "Our plan is to continuously introduce premium ice creams that can only be found at GS25, going beyond simple 'variations of flavor.' My dream is to keep developing desserts that customers have not found at convenience stores." The following is a Q&A.
―The popularity of Ice brûlée is high. What are the success factors?
"First, the concept of breaking the crisp sugar layer provides a visually and tactilely differentiated experience. Second, it was fresh because it was a new type not available in Korea. Third, the way it is eaten and its visual appeal optimized it for viral sharing on SNS, leading to immediate consumer reactions."
―What concerns did you have during the planning and development process?
"The sugar caramel coating process was difficult to implement with a typical automation system, so we collaborated with the dessert specialty brand Loro Melo that has manual experience. They have created products like sponge cakes and marshmallow ice cream. In initial sample tests, there was an issue with sogginess three days post-distribution, so we conducted numerous tests to identify the optimal process that maintains crispness."
―What was the consumer response like?
"Immediately after its launch, we saw a flood of responses on SNS centered around short-form (brief video) content, and many consumers were searching for real-time stock via the app. We were busy responding as it sold out more quickly than expected."
―What significance does Ice brûlée hold in the convenience store ice cream market?
"Until now, convenience store ice cream was seen as a simple snack. Now, a perception shift is occurring, recognizing it as 'premium dessert' to enjoy at convenience stores. The fact that we're providing consumers with a culinary experience that did not exist in the past is the most significant aspect."
―What characteristics does this product have in relation to the GS25 business structure?
"In the past, production was dominated by large partner companies. This product is viewed as a new collaboration model where we rapidly collaborated with skilled small partners to secure both quality and buzz. We plan to continue focusing on discovering partners like Loro Melo in the future."
―Has this product had a positive impact on store sales?
"Yes. Although it is a single product, it has a great draw that makes people visit GS25 to buy ice cream. It has also concretely helped daily sales at the stores."
―What are your plans going forward?
"We will continuously develop ice creams with unique concepts that are not commonly seen in Korea. We will create differentiated premium ice creams that can only be found at GS25."