Retailers, supermarkets, and coffee chains across South Korea are launching new products utilizing regional specialties and local festivals to boost consumer interest and support local economies, as reported by newsis.com on October 12. The push spans convenience store menus, zero-calorie snacks, instant rice, and cafe beverages designed to revitalize regional farming communities.
CU Brings Kimcheon Kimbap Festival Winner to National Shelves
Convenience store chain CU is commercializing winning entries from the “Kimbap Cooking Contest” held during the Gimcheon Kimbap Festival in North Gyeongsang Province. The third-year competition winner, “Chinese-style Chili Japchae Kimbap,” is slated for release on October 27. The item features a spicy Chinese-style stir-fried chili japchae filling packed with perilla leaves and egg.
CU plans to operate a promotional booth at the Gimcheon Kimbap Festival from October 23 to October 25, offering visitors an early taste of the product. The chain has been commercializing these contest entries since 2024. The inaugural winner, the “Osami Half-and-Half Kimbap,” surpassed 500,000 cumulative sales, while the second-year winner, the “Walnut Mayo Pork Kimbap,” alongside related triangle kimbap and rice bowl series, matched that 500,000 sales milestone. CU has also rolled out winning entries from the Daegu Chi-Mac Festival and Daegu Tteokbokki Festival nationwide.
Lotte Mart, Super, and Lotte Wellfood Launch Jeju-Sourced Zero Snacks
Lotte Mart and Super partnered with Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and Lotte Wellfood to release three “Lotte ZEROxJeju” products on October 1. The snack line incorporates local Jeju ingredients, including citrus fruit, apple mango, and Udo peanuts.
The lineup features “Lotte Zero Mini Tangerine Cake” made with Jeju citrus, “Lotte Zero Apple Mango Jelly” containing apple mango, and “Lotte Zero Peanut Crunch Ball” incorporating Udo peanuts. These items are available across all Lotte Mart and Super branches. Product packaging highlights the 107th National Sports Festival, which opens in Jeju on October 16.
CJ CheilJedang and Pascucci Expand Partnership with Yeoju Agricultural Producers
Food and beverage companies are similarly tapping into regional harvests. CJ CheilJedang collaborated with Yeoju City and E-Mart to increase consumption of local rice amid declining national consumption rates. The partnership yielded “Hatban Yeoju Rice,” an instant rice product sold exclusively through E-Mart channels to establish a stable consumer base and support the local agricultural ecosystem.
Cafe brand Pascucci has launched a dedicated menu utilizing Yeoju rice and sweet potatoes. Available nationwide through February next year, the seasonal lineup includes the “Yeoju Rice Granita” layered with rice gelato and toppings, “Yeoju Rice Latte,” “Yeoju Sweet Potato Latte,” and “Yeoju Rice Gelato.”
