As the "eoljuk-a" ("iced even if I freeze to death") trend spreads to the ice cream industry, ice cream sales increased in winter, which is considered the off-season. Analysts say seasonal boundaries have become blurrier than before as more people stay home during cold snaps and enjoy desserts at home.
According to the industry on the 28th, winter ice cream sales at the four convenience store chains all rose this year. GS25, operated by GS Retail, said ice cream sales from Dec. 1 to 23 rose 47.7% from a year earlier. By type, bar ice cream (165.1%) and cup ice cream (81.9%) posted sharp gains. Items released this year, such as Frozen Sorbet and Ice Brûlée, ranked in the top 10 for ice cream sales in November, drawing a positive response.
During the same period, ice cream sales at CU, operated by BGF Retail, increased 12.7%. Home-type ice cream represented by "Together" rose 59%. Premium ice cream such as Häagen-Dazs also rose 33%. A BGF Retail official said, "Convenience stores, a shopping channel close to home, offer good access to ice cream in winter, which lifted sales," and added, "As high inflation weighs on consumers and more people choose home parties instead of dining out, sales of home-type and premium ice cream increased." During the same period, ice cream sales at Seven-Eleven and Emart24 rose 5% and 7%, respectively.
With ice cream sales rising, the industry has moved to active marketing, launching winter products and running promotions. SPC Baskin-Robbins is running a "Double Up" promotion in December, releasing the flavor of the month and allowing customers to upgrade to a Double Junior size by adding 500 won when purchasing a Single Regular. CU released collaboration products timed to the Dec. 11 opening of the 10th feature film of the popular animation Pororo, "Pororo Movie: Sweet Castle Adventure." Set in the polar regions, the collaboration lineup includes a Mango Peach Sherbet ice cream.
Earlier in the coffee industry, the "eoljuk-a" trend of drinking iced Americanos even in winter took hold. The rising burden of eating-out prices has also influenced increased sales of snacks and ice cream, as more consumers host year-end gatherings at home instead of at restaurants. An official in the ice cream industry said, "As storage and delivery technology for ice cream has advanced recently, delivery and packaging have increased," and added, "With more channels that are close to home, such as convenience stores and unmanned ice cream shops, we are seeing consumer behavior of stocking up on ice cream even in winter." The official added, "There is still a lingering perception that ice cream does not sell in winter, but as sales have increased recently, it has become important to plan promotions that can draw in consumers."