GS25 to launch Han Jeong-seon pistachio rice cake, pre-orders Oct 7-10
Version 2: Additional outlets have filled in the commercial picture: the earlier product's first place in GS25's quick-commerce sales ahead of canned beer, 6 million cumulative searches on the chain's app, an Oct 14 collection date for pre-order customers and a gift for buyers at the Oct 8 pop-up.
In short
GS25 said it will release a pistachio glutinous rice cake, the second product in its Han Jeong-seon line, following last month's yogurt rice cake. The frozen dessert is priced at 3,900 won, with 20,000 units on pre-order through the Wooridongne GS app from Oct 7 to 10 and store sales from Oct 15. GS25 said the earlier yogurt version has sold 700,000 units with a 100 percent sell-through rate, and ZDNet Korea reported it ranked first in sales across GS25's quick-commerce service.
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GS25 said on Oct 5 that it will release a pistachio glutinous rice cake, the second product in its Han Jeong-seon line, as a follow-up to the yogurt rice cake it launched last month. The convenience store chain said the frozen dessert is filled with pistachio cream made from ground roasted pistachios and is priced at 3,900 won. GS25 said it worked with the dessert brand Roromello on the product, while ZDNet Korea described the rice cake series as a collaboration involving Roromello and Han Jeong-seon. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Pre-orders for 20,000 units will be taken from Oct 7 to 10 through the Wooridongne GS app, GS25 said, and stores will begin selling the product on Oct 15. ZDNet Korea reported that pre-order customers can collect the product from Oct 14 at designated stores. On Oct 8 the company will hold a pop-up event at its GS25 Gangnam branch in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, selling a four-piece set of two yogurt and two pistachio rice cakes; ZDNet Korea reported the event starts at noon and that buyers receive a Han Jeong-seon keycap clicker. [ 3 , 4 ]
GS25 said the earlier Han Jeong-seon yogurt rice cake has sold 700,000 units cumulatively and recorded a 100 percent sell-through rate. ZDNet Korea reported that the yogurt rice cake ranked first in sales among all products in GS25's quick-commerce service, ahead of canned beer, which the outlet described as unusual for a dessert given that alcohol and ready-made meals usually lead such rankings, and that searches related to Han Jeong-seon rice cakes on the Wooridongne GS app reached 6 million cumulatively over the same period. [ 3 , 4 ]
Han Jeong-seon is a brand that reinterprets glutinous rice cakes; it started in Seongsu-dong, spread through social media and has been carried in department stores and at Seoul Station, according to Yonhap. A GS25 official said the company “wanted to quickly bring out a follow-up to the Han Jeong-seon yogurt rice cake to meet customers' expectations” and that it “will continue to introduce differentiated desserts.” Lee Ha-rim, a GS25 dessert team MD, told ZDNet Korea the company aimed to meet expectations with the follow-up and “will continue to introduce differentiated desserts that match customer needs and set trends.” [ 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The launch tests whether GS25 can repeat the performance of the yogurt rice cake, which the company says sold 700,000 units at a 100 percent sell-through rate. ZDNet Korea reported that a dessert product topping GS25's quick-commerce sales is unusual, with alcohol and ready meals usually leading, which points to how convenience stores are using social-media-driven dessert brands. The news is a routine retail product announcement with little consequence outside South Korea.
Key facts
- GS25 is launching a pistachio glutinous rice cake as the second product in its Han Jeong-seon line, following last month's yogurt rice cake. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The product is a frozen dessert filled with pistachio cream made from ground roasted pistachios, priced at 3,900 won. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Pre-orders for 20,000 units run from Oct 7 to 10 through the Wooridongne GS app, and stores begin selling on Oct 15. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- A pop-up on Oct 8 at the GS25 Gangnam branch in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, will sell a four-piece set of yogurt and pistachio rice cakes. [ 3 , 4 ]
- GS25 said the earlier Han Jeong-seon yogurt rice cake has sold 700,000 units cumulatively and recorded a 100 percent sell-through rate. [ 3 , 4 ]
- ZDNet Korea reported the yogurt rice cake ranked first in sales among all products in GS25's quick-commerce service, ahead of canned beer, and that related searches on the Wooridongne GS app reached 6 million cumulatively. [ 4 ]
- Han Jeong-seon is a brand that reinterprets glutinous rice cakes; it began in Seongsu-dong, spread through social media and has entered department stores and Seoul Station. [ 3 ]
- The product was made with the dessert brand Roromello, according to GS25. [ 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- GS25 is launching a pistachio glutinous rice cake as the second product in its Han Jeong-seon line. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The pre-orders cover 20,000 units. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The product is priced at 3,900 won and is a frozen dessert filled with pistachio cream made from ground roasted pistachios. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Pre-orders run Oct 7 to 10 through the Wooridongne GS app and store sales begin Oct 15. [ 3 , 4 ]
- GS25 will hold a pop-up at its Gangnam branch in Yeoksam-dong on Oct 8 selling a four-piece set of yogurt and pistachio rice cakes. [ 3 , 4 ]
- GS25 said the earlier Han Jeong-seon yogurt rice cake sold 700,000 units cumulatively with a 100 percent sell-through rate. [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the 20,000 pre-order units represent the entire production run or only part of it. Kukmin Ilbo describes a limited sale of 20,000 units, and Yonhap and ZDNet Korea describe a 20,000-unit pre-order allocation, but the documents do not state total output or a sales target.
- The Oct 14 collection date for pre-order customers at designated stores. Only ZDNet Korea states this detail; other documents give the pre-order window and the Oct 15 store sales date without a pickup schedule.
- What product details Newsis published beyond its headline. The article text carried with the Newsis report concerns an unrelated AI security story, so only its headline refers to the GS25 launch.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kukmin Ilbo reports that GS25 will launch the second Han Jeong-seon rice cake, in a limited sale of 20,000 units. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reports the launch under a headline highlighting the pistachio flavour. [ 2 ]
- Yonhap reports the details: the Roromello partnership, a 3,900-won price, a 20,000-unit pre-order run from Oct 7 to 10, store sales from Oct 15 and the Oct 8 Gangnam pop-up. [ 3 ]
- ZDNet Korea adds the predecessor's first place in quick-commerce sales, 6 million cumulative app searches, the Oct 14 pickup date and gift details for the pop-up. [ 4 ]
- Seoul Shinmun reports the launch in a headline. [ 5 ]
- Pre-orders for 20,000 units open through the Wooridongne GS app, running to Oct 10. [ 3 , 4 ]
- On Oct 8 GS25 holds a pop-up at its Gangnam branch in Yeoksam-dong, selling a four-piece set of yogurt and pistachio rice cakes; ZDNet Korea says buyers receive a Han Jeong-seon keycap clicker. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Store sales of the pistachio rice cake begin. [ 3 , 4 ]