E-MART said on the 8th that it will hold a discount event focused on ready-to-eat meals through the 13th to target the early-summer season.
As a signature item, it released a "cup mulhoe" you can enjoy like takeout coffee. The product packs assorted vegetables, Korea-caught sea squirt, sea cucumber, and thin-sliced raw halibut into a 22-ounce cup, which is "venti" size or larger. Just add the separately packaged broth to make mulhoe.
The cup mulhoe and broth are sold at regular prices of 9,980 won and 2,480 won, respectively, and if you buy both the mulhoe and broth together, you can get them at a discounted 9,990 won.
It is also introducing new instant rice products. "Yangban Royal Icheon Rice Instant Rice," made with Icheon rice, is being sold at an introductory special price. The product was planned in collaboration with Icheon City, E-MART, and Dongwon F&B, aiming to boost consumption of Korea-grown rice.
It is also running discounts on sauces aimed at demand for easy cooking. Seasoning products that make it simple to cook Korean dishes such as sundubu-jjigae, tteokbokki, and stir-fried pork are sold at half price when you buy two or more. Frozen squid that can be used in cooking right away without prep is offered at 30% off with Shinsegae Point accrual.
It is also discounting frozen rice cake products that can be eaten right away after taking them out of the freezer and leaving at room temperature. Diet-friendly ready-to-eat meals using chicken breast and vegetables come with a 20% discount with Shinsegae Point accrual, plus e-money accrual benefits.
Demand for ready-to-eat meals that are easy and convenient is on the rise due to high inflation and an increase in single-person households. According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), the domestic ready-to-eat meal (HMR) market grew from 3.4 trillion won in 2017 to 6.8 trillion won last year, nearly doubling.
In fact, looking at E-MART's processed food sales for the month of Apr., instant rice (white rice, mixed grains) rose 12.6% year over year, and frozen side dishes such as frozen tteok-galbi increased 20.4%.