CU’s RESCENE-themed bread sells about 600,000 units, led by men in their 30s
In short
Five bread products that the convenience store chain CU released with the girl group RESCENE had sold about 600,000 units as of Oct 1, according to retail industry data cited by Korean outlets. Men in their 30s were the largest group of buyers at 22.7%, ahead of men in their 40s at 18.6%. Each product came with one of 27 randomly enclosed photo cards of the group’s members, which the outlets linked to fan collecting.
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Five bread products that the convenience store chain CU developed with the girl group RESCENE had sold about 600,000 units as of Oct 1, according to retail industry data reported by Asia Economy, Maeil Business and Seoul Shinmun. The outlets focused on the scale of the sales and on which customers were buying the products. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
BGF Retail, which operates CU, released the five “RESCENE bread” items in sequence, starting Sept 17 with “Won-i’s corn cream bread” and adding products including “Liv’s choco hotteok” on Sept 30, Asia Economy reported. The recipes were based on the members’ preferences, and each item came with one of 27 transparent photo cards carrying member images, enclosed at random, the outlet said. It reported that photo-card collecting among fans is seen as a likely reason for the sales performance. [ 1 ]
By gender, 69.1% of buyers were men and 30.9% were women, Asia Economy reported. Men in their 30s were the largest single group at 22.7%, followed by men in their 40s at 18.6% and men in their 20s at 15.8%, it said. Seoul Shinmun also reported that men in their 30s accounted for the largest share of purchases, describing them in its headline as the buyers who “swept up” the units. [ 1 , 4 ]
CU is not alone in using collaboration products. GS Retail, which operates the chain GS25, launched “Minumsa bread” with the publisher Minumsa on Aug 21, packing four products with one of 20 bookmarks drawn from the publisher’s world literature and poetry series, Asia Economy reported. That line sold more than 1.6 million units by the end of September, the outlet said. GS Retail also plans a new version of its “Han Jung-sun yogurt chapssaltteok” in mid-October; the item, launched Sept 3, had sold 600,000 units as of Oct 1, according to the report. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The figures show how South Korean convenience store chains are using tie-ups with celebrities and publishers, plus collectible extras, to draw buyers beyond their usual customers. Coverage places the RESCENE line alongside other collaborations such as GS25’s bread made with a publisher, suggesting the format has become a routine part of retail competition. The documents give no indication of profitability or how the products compare with other CU items.
Key facts
- Five CU bread products made with the girl group RESCENE had sold about 600,000 units as of Oct 1. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- CU operator BGF Retail released the products in sequence from Sept 17, starting with “Won-i’s corn cream bread,” and added items including “Liv’s choco hotteok” on Sept 30. [ 1 ]
- Each product contained one of 27 transparent photo cards bearing RESCENE member images, enclosed at random. [ 1 ]
- Men accounted for 69.1% of buyers and women 30.9%; men in their 30s were the largest single group at 22.7%, followed by men in their 40s at 18.6%. [ 1 ]
- GS25’s “Minumsa bread,” launched Aug 21 with publisher Minumsa, had sold more than 1.6 million units by the end of September. [ 1 ]
- GS Retail said it plans a new version of its “Han Jung-sun yogurt chapssaltteok” in mid-October; the item, launched Sept 3, had sold 600,000 units as of Oct 1. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the 600,000-unit figure covers all CU stores nationwide or a narrower set of outlets. The documents give a total sales figure without stating its scope.
- The full breakdown of buyers by age and gender. Only Asia Economy published the percentages; other outlets reported only that men in their 30s and 40s led purchases.
- Any comment from RESCENE, its members or its agency on the collaboration. The documents cite retail industry data and CU’s product line-up but no statement from the group or its label.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Asia Economy reports on Oct 4 that the five “RESCENE bread” products had sold about 600,000 units as of Oct 1 and gives the buyer breakdown by age and gender. [ 1 ]
- Maeil Business reports on Oct 4 that the products drew popularity among men in their 30s and 40s, citing the same cumulative sales figure. [ 2 ]
- Maeil Business follows up on Oct 5 with a report on who bought the bread. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Shinmun publishes a report on Oct 5 headlined around men in their 30s buying up the 600,000 units. [ 4 ]