Convenience store CU said on the 14th it will launch two PBICK cereal bars (original, chocolate) under its private brand (PB) this month. The price is 990 won, the lowest among PB cereal bars sold in the convenience store industry.
CU noted that cereal bars have stood out for growth recently in the snack category. CU's cereal bar sales rose 36.5% in 2022, 22.4% in 2023, and 15.6% in 2024, and this year (January–August) they are up 19.8% from a year earlier, continuing double-digit growth every year.
The PBICK cereal bars unveiled this time were designed with 6–7g of protein while reducing sugar to 0–1g. Calories were also kept to 99 kcal to reduce the burden. The price is about half the average of national brand (NB) cereal bars sold at CU.
To boost price competitiveness, CU found a new partner. The company has more than 10 years of experience in tofu manufacturing and processing and specializes in producing cereal bars using soybean protein from tofu. By shortening distribution stages and minimizing marketing expense, it maximized cost-saving effects, the company said.
A BGF Retail official said, "PB is evolving quickly in line with market trends such as rising prices, rapid changes in consumption trends, and higher customer expectations," adding, "We will continue to introduce products through PBICK that offer consumers differentiated value."