Lotte Mart announced on the 2nd that it will exclusively launch three types of 'Mr. Crispy Seaweed' (original, sour cream, paprika) aimed at foreign customers on the 4th.

This new product was planned to meet the growing demand for seaweed among foreign tourists. According to Lotte Mart, the cumulative sales of processed seaweed products at the ZETAPLEX Seoul Station, which has a high proportion of foreign visitors, increased by about 40% from the same period last year from January to August this year.

Im Jin-geon (left) MD and Lee Ga-yeon MD promote the new product of kim snacks and K-beauty event products at Lotte Mart Zeta Plex in Songpa-gu, Seoul. /Courtesy of Lotte Mart

The new product 'Mr. Crispy Seaweed' is made by frying seaweed that is about 20% thicker than regular seaweed, resulting in a crunchy texture. Additionally, it was produced in a small 20g size, which is about half the typical seaweed snack volume, for the convenience of foreign customers carrying it. To achieve this, Lotte Mart's Seafood Merchandise Director visited Thailand in May this year and collaborated with manufacturers specialized in the frying process.

In addition, Lotte Mart prepared a K-Beauty promotion to enhance shopping convenience for foreign customers. At Lotte Mart's Health & Beauty (H&B) store, Lops Plus, products from popular K-Beauty brands such as 'Banobagi,' 'VT,' and 'Mediheal' will be sold at a discount for two weeks from the 4th to the 17th.

Furthermore, Lotte Mart plans to post bilingual signboards in about 10 stores, including ZETAPLEX Seoul Station and Yeongjong-do, which have a high number of foreign visitors, until the end of September. They will also attach 'Best Pick' promotional materials to popular items to further enhance shopping convenience for overseas customers.

Lim Jin-geon, the product planner for Lotte Mart's Super Seafood Team, noted, "With the anticipated increase in foreign customer visits due to the visa-free entry for Chinese nationals at the end of September, we launched new seaweed snacks that are popular among foreigners," and added, "We will continue to strive to develop specialized products targeting foreign tastes.

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