[Herald Interview] Homeplus eyes market expansion with private brand, global sourcing

Private brands -- exclusively manufactured for a retailer -- have for long been making strides, although they are still concentrated in the developed markets of Europe, North America and Australia. While still in a nascent stage in South Korea, the private brand market has shown exponential growth in recent years, with brand loyalty for large retailers reigning the landscape. How well a retailer builds trust with its consumers is the key to success, and a lot of that comes from the quality of

Feb. 3, 2020

Lotte Chilsung rolls out eco-friendly water product with no plastic labels

Lotte Chilsung Beverage said Wednesday it has rolled out bottled mineral water without plastic labels. The new product, 1.5-liter Icis 8.0 Eco, has its brand name engraved on the plastic bottle, taking away the hassle of having to remove the label before recycling it. The exclusion of the label will save about 4.3 tons of packing materials, the company said. The product will be released on Lotte Chilsung’s official shopping site and other online channels, in two bundles, each consist

Jan. 29, 2020

Rivals join hands for global heated tobacco market

In a rare move in the competitive tobacco industry, South Korea’s KT&G established a strategic alliance with Philip Morris International on Wednesday, to expand the market worldwide for its heat-not-burn cigarette brand lil. The unusual partnership secures a global distribution network for KT&G, which has been domestic-centric until recently, while it would help PMI enhance its campaign of “smoke-free” cigarette products with the added portfolio. During the commemora

Jan. 29, 2020

McDonald’s Korea names Martinez as new chief

McDonald’s Korea announced Wednesday the appointment of Antoni Martinez as the new managing director. He replaces Melanie Joh who resigned last month. Martinez has been market director for the southern region of Australia since January 2016. He joined McDonald’s in Victoria, Australia, in 2000 as a crew member.  “McDonald’s has a strong track record in Korea thanks to the team’s innovative approach over the years.” Martinez said in a statement. &ldquo

Jan. 29, 2020

Samyang sells more overseas than domestically on spicy noodle hit

Samyang Foods, the manufacturer of the globally popular Buldak Spicy Chicken noodles, saw its revenue from overseas surpass domestic sales last year, industry sources said Tuesday. Last year, Samyang Foods recorded total sales of 535 billion won ($455 million), and exports surpassed domestic sales by 5 billion won. It is the second time a South Korean food manufacturer has sold more of its products overseas than in the domestic market, the first being Choco Pie from Orion Corp. The food m

Jan. 28, 2020

Korean meat brand taps Pakistan market

Korean food service enterprise Didim said Wednesday its Korean barbecue brand Mapo Galmaegi signed a franchise contract with a Pakistani company to start business there. Didim said it signed the contract with M Anwar Bro, a Pakistani importer that exclusively supplies Korean and Japanese automobile parts to the market there on Tuesday.  M Anwar Bro also owns construction- and computer-related subsidiaries. Recently, the Pakistani company sought to expand its businesses into food, and contac

Jan. 22, 2020

Blue Bottle Coffee to open 5th store in Gwanghwamun

California-based coffee chain Blue Bottle Coffee will open its fifth store in South Korea near Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, according to industry on Wednesday. After making a hit in opening its first store in Seongsu, Seoul in May 2019, the coffee chain has since increased its outlets in three other spots in Seoul -- Samcheong, Apgujeong and Yeoksam.  Blue Bottle Coffee reportedly will open its fifth shop in on the first floor of Cheonggye Hankook Building, located in Jongno, next t

Jan. 22, 2020

McDonald’s Korea CEO resigns for personal reasons

McDonald’s Korea CEO Cho Ju-yeon resigned from her post last week due to “personal reasons.” Cho sent an email to all employees on Tuesday to announce her resignation, without elaborating on the reason, industry officials said. However, a McDonald’s Korea official said Cho was leaving due to personal reasons unrelated to the company. While McDonald’s Korea does not have a designated tenure for the CEO position, Cho’s resignation was a planned move, the officia

Jan. 21, 2020

McDonald’s Korea to raise burger prices by 1.36 percent, including Big Mac

McDonald’s Korea said Friday that it will raise prices of eight items on its menu from Monday, including the brand’s signature Big Mac, by 1.36 percent overall. The items are four burgers, one side and one drink. The prices for the Cheese Burger and Big Mac will increase by 200 won (18 cents). Other items will see 100 won to 300 won increases.  The burger chain said it will also cut the prices of three burgers: the Hamburger by 200 won, and Double Bulgogi Burger and Double Chees

Jan. 17, 2020

Starbucks to roll out BTS drinks

Starbucks Korea will start a new campaign with K-pop boy band BTS and roll out new menu items and products, as part of a project supporting youth, the company said Thursday. According to the coffee chain, it will start a new campaign, dubbed “Be the Brightest Stars” from Jan. 21 to Feb. 6, to present limited edition menu items and goods themed around the color purple in collaboration with BTS. The campaign is designed to deliver to young people the message, “You shine like a st

Jan. 17, 2020

IKEA recalls India-made travel mugs over chemical concerns

Global furniture giant IKEA said Wednesday that it is recalling India-made Troligtvis travel mugs due to health concerns related to chemicals in the products.The decision came amid worries that the mugs that have been sold since last year may migrate levels of dibutyl phthalate exceeding the recommended limits.  IKEA‘s Korea unit said that all customers who have bought the cups can get full refunds regardless of whether they have receipts.“We took the global recall measure so as

Jan. 15, 2020

Yuhan-Kimberly donates over 5 million sanitary pads over 4 years

Yuhan-Kimberly, a Korean manufacturer of hygiene products, donated more than 5 million sanitary pads over the past four years, the company said Wednesday.The company’s donation is part of its “Cheer Up, Daughters” campaign to promote the rights of teens and the importance of hygiene for health, started in 2016 in partnership with the Korea Foundation for Women, a civic women’s group. According to the company, it donated 1.53 million pads in the first year, followed by 1 m

Jan. 15, 2020

Woongjin Coway seeks lead in air purifier market with filter variables

Following rising demand for air purifiers, household appliance company Woongjin Coway is seeking to continue its lead in the market with its special filters, the company said Tuesday.According to research institute Growth From Knowledge, annual sales of air purifiers in South Korea have more than doubled recently, from about 700,000 in 2016 to 1.8 million in 2018, amid the rising threat of worsening fine and ultrafine dust levels. Korea’s No. 1 rental company of air purifiers by sales, Cow

Jan. 14, 2020

McDonald’s to hire 600 permanent employees this year

McDonald’s said Monday it will hire a total of 600 permanent employees this year, the biggest number since it entered the Korean market in 1988. According to the burger chain, the figure comprises about 200 restaurant managers for duties such as customer management, quality checks and human resources management.  The remaining 400 permanent employees will be hired for McDonald’s new position of restaurant shift manager. Only temporary staff working at the company can apply for t

Jan. 13, 2020

Starbucks Korea to hire handicapped baristas for regular employment in Q1

Starbucks Korea said Monday that it had begun its recruitment process for baristas with disabilities for the first quarter of this year.According to the coffee chain, it will accept applications starting from Monday until 5 p.m. on Jan. 23. The process includes document screening, interviews and field tests in the form of five weeks of training, before the final results are announced. Starbucks first began its hiring program for baristas with disabilities in 2007, and began running the program o

Jan. 13, 2020

Sephora opens 3rd shop in Sinchon

Sephora opened its third shop Friday in Sinchon, a trendy university district, in collaboration with Hyundai Department Store. The 232-square-meter store is located on the first floor of Hyundai Department Store’s U-Plex. Last year, French luxury conglomerate LVMH’s Sephora launched its first store in Parnas Mall in the posh district of Gangnam in October and its second shop in Lotte Young Plaza in the Myeong-dong shopping district in December.The multibrand cosmetics store in Sincho

Jan. 12, 2020

Lotte says Honey Butter Almonds sees high sales among foreigners

Lotte Mart said Sunday it will open two Honey Butter Almonds stores, following the snack’s popularity among foreign customers. According to the company, Honey Butter Almonds was recorded as the most popular snack product by foreign customers, posting the highest sales in the previous two years, with sales rising by 18.2 percent in 2018 and 7.9 percent in 2019 at Lotte Mart outlets. To meet the trend, Lotte Mart said it will open two Honey Butter Almonds stores in Seoul Station and Gim

Jan. 12, 2020

[Feature] Soju goes ‘newtro’

Soju is going “newtro.” With the trend -- a combination of “new” and “retro” -- sweeping the South Korean retail scene, liquor makers have brought back new versions of discontinued soju. These products are especially popular with consumers in their 20s and 30s, according to the industry. In April 2019, liquor maker HiteJinro -- which leads the soju market with its signature Chamisul -- introduced a new version of its old soju brand Jinro, dubbed “Jinro I

Jan. 12, 2020

Shake Shack rolls out Roasted Garlic Mushroom Burger

Shake Shack will roll out the limited-edition Roasted Garlic Mushroom Burger in South Korea on Monday. According to the chain’s Korean operator SPC Group, the burger is the first new menu item of the year.  It comprises Angus beef patty, deep-fried shallots and Portobello mushroom, topped with garlic mayonnaise sauce and provolone cheese inside a potato bun, the company said. It will be priced at 8,900 won ($7.66).Along with the new burger, Roasted Garlic Mayo Fries will be available

Jan. 12, 2020

Coupang prepares for IPO as early as 2021: report

Korean e-commerce giant Coupang is preparing for an initial public offering as early as 2021, according to industry sources on Thursday. Citing anonymous officials, Bloomberg reported that Coupang has begun gearing up for an IPO, starting with tax structuring. Established in 2010 by CEO Kim Bom, Coupang was valued at $9 billion at the end of 2018. Amid rumors that the SoftBank-backed company would go public, Kim said he had mulled the option -- the “most difficult” in his career -- i

Jan. 9, 2020