'Hyeja', '990 won' sells.. 20s office workers visit 'this place' every morning

[Financial News] "I often end up buying it because I can have breakfast for under 1000 won."
Lee Mo, a person in their 20s who bought a '990 won hot bar' at a convenience store in Gangnam, Seoul, said, "If I go to work without having breakfast, I feel empty, so I often solve it at a convenience store to save time and money."
In the midst of high inflation, the convenience store industry is focusing on ultra-low-cost 'private brand (PB)' marketing. They are opening customers' wallets by offering relatively cheaper prices compared to manufacturer brands (NB) with familiar keywords such as 'Hyeja', 'Deuktam', and 'Real Price'.
According to the industry on the 20th, GS25's PB line 'Real Price' saw a 56.5% increase in sales in June compared to the same period last year. The number of products, which started with six types last year, has now increased to about 90 types and is expected to exceed 100 types within the year.
The sales of the 'Hyeja' series lunch boxes, which mean superior quantity or quality compared to price, also increased by more than 15% in June compared to the same period last year. Convenience meals emphasizing cost-effectiveness are gaining popularity amid accelerating lunchflation (lunch + inflation).
A GS Retail official said, "GS25 is expanding its lineup of affordable products centered on its PB brand 'Real Price' to stabilize prices," and "We will contribute to price stabilization by expanding convenience store lunch boxes with abundant quantity and reasonable prices to solve a cheap meal in the high inflation environment."

CU has surpassed 50 million cumulative sales since introducing the ultra-low-cost PB 'Deuktam series' in 2021, with nearly 20 million sales in the first half of this year alone, showing a rapid increase. They are actively targeting the 'frugal consumption' trend of products under 1000 won. The growth rate of sales for CU's product group under 1000 won accelerated from 10.4% in 2021 to 29.8% in 2024.
A BGF Retail official said, "CU will continue to introduce high-quality products at reasonable prices to reduce the burden on customers' shopping baskets in the high inflation environment."
Seven Eleven is also strengthening its marketing by putting PB products at the forefront. The total PB sales in the first half of 2025 increased by 20% compared to the previous year, and the pouch drink sold for 900 won surpassed 1 million cumulative sales within six months of launch. A Seven Eleven official said, "Young consumers today come to the store after hearing information about PB products first," and "They have established themselves like a 'pride brand' of the store because they are of good quality and reasonably priced."
Heo Kyungok, a professor of consumer industry studies at Sungshin Women's University, analyzed, "In a situation where real income decreases and tariff uncertainty is high due to recent price increases, consumers have become more sensitive to prices than before," and "From the convenience store's perspective, PB products have no choice but to pay attention to quality as they are released under their own name." 

localplace@fnnews.com Kim Hyunji Reporter