Lotte Department Store Expands Convenient Chuseok Gift Sets to Reduce Preparation and Cooking Burdens

[Financial News] Lotte Department Store is targeting Chuseok demand with convenient gift sets designed to reduce the burden of preparing and cooking food.
According to industry sources on the 14th, Lotte Department Store will double the volume of convenient seafood gift sets, a signature holiday gift category, from last year. Given the difficulty of preparing seafood, the company has expanded its selection of products that can be cooked immediately or simply reheated.
One featured product is the “Yeonggwang Steamed Dried Yellow Croaker and Red Sea Bream Gift Set.” The innards are removed from yellow croaker and red sea bream raised in the waters off Yeonggwang County, after which the fish are steamed and individually packaged. The set is designed to be conveniently enjoyed by reheating the fish in a microwave.
El Premier, Lotte Department Store’s high-end fresh-food brand, will offer a “Boneless Tilefish and Silver Hairtail Gift Set.” The company selects tilefish and silver hairtail from Jeju Province weighing at least 1.5 kilograms each, removes the scales and bones, and cuts the fish into sizes suitable for cooking.
Home meal replacement gift sets will also increase by 40% from the previous holiday. The expansion reflects the fact that sales of convenient-food gift sets, including partially prepared meals and meal kits, have risen by an average of more than 30% during each holiday season.
Lotte Department Store will also introduce a “Complete Table-Setting Gift Set,” which allows recipients to set the table on the holiday without additional cooking. The set combines Chuseok dishes with tableware and includes dedicated dishes. White porcelain made in collaboration with ceramic artist Jeon Sang Keun contains nine types of seasoned vegetables, while a walnut-wood box holds seven types of assorted Korean savory pancakes and five premium dishes. The set is arranged so it can be placed directly on the table as delivered.
Do Sang-woo, head of Lotte Department Store’s Livestock & Seafood Team, said, “Holiday food culture is changing toward placing greater importance on the time spent enjoying good food with people we care about. We will continue to enhance food and beverage offerings tailored to customers’ lifestyles so that we can provide distinctive culinary experiences not only during the holidays but also in everyday life.”

[email protected] Jang Yu-ha Reporter