Retail giant aims to secure 10 million subscribers, increase sales by more than 50% within five years

By Tom Heilandt Codex Alimentarius Commission Secretary The demise of Alexander the Great, valiant conqueror of Persia and Egypt and monarch of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon, is not one that history books typically associate with a foodborne illness. However, a recent review suggests that it was Salmonella typhimurium enteritis that ultimately brought him down. Similarly, there is one theory that the musical genius, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is thought to have succumbed to trichinosis, w

Prices for hamburgers rose 10.3 percent in March and 17.1 percent in April, according to Statistics Korea. The increase marked the highest growth in 19 years. Such inflation in hamburgers came after major franchise companies raised their prices 4 to 5 percent in February and August of last year, and again in February this year. Pizza prices also set a record high in nearly 15 years with a near-12 percent increase in April. Chicken prices increased by 6.8 percent in the given period, which is low

After Shake Shack and Five Guys, expectations high for US burger chain’s possible Korean debut

Nike Korea said Tuesday it created a public sports space, called "Playground for All," jointly with Seoul Lifelong Education Institute and ChildFund Korea in Geumcheon-gu, southwestern Seoul, as part of its initiative to achieve carbon neutrality and practice social responsibility. Built on 1,613 square meters of land, the sports space consists of a running track, a basketball court, a futsal field and a play zone, with the floors and lockers made from recycled Nike sneakers and clot

Retail sales in South Korea rose 4 percent on-year in April on the back of people's growing outdoor activities and various promotional events by major discount stores, the industry ministry said Tuesday. The combined sales of 25 major offline and online retailers came to 14.08 trillion won ($10.67 billion) last month, compared with 13.54 trillion won a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The on-year increase came as more people turned

After decades of English names, retailers put spotlight on Hangeul as key marketing strategy

Korean food makers have won in legal fights against Chinese counterfeiters in a series of lawsuits filed in China, according to the Korea Food Industry Association on Thursday. Of the total seven cases raised, the Chinese court recently ruled in favor of Korean firms in five cases at the first trial stage. Following the rulings, the Chinese companies in question are now required to pay compensation worth 250,000 yuan ($35,353) to CJ CheilJedang, 350,000 yuan to Samyang Food, and 200,000 yuan to

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Wednesday the European Union has decided to ease import regulations for Korean ramen products, 18 months after a mishap with a carcinogen in ramen imports sent to Europe. According to the ministry, the EU will be easing the inspection of ethylene oxide in imported Korean ramen products starting in July. EO, which is majorly used as a fumigant and sterilizing agent, is classified by the World Health Organization as a potential carcinogen. The EU strengt

The nation’s largest discount store chain E-mart, owned by retail giant Shinsegae Group, suffered dismal sales in the first quarter this year, outpaced by its smaller rival Coupang for the first time, with a gloomy outlook for the rest of the year, according to local brokerage firms Monday. In the first three months of the year, E-mart posted 13.7 billion won ($10.3 million) in operating profits, a 60.2 percent fall from a year ago. Net profit also plunged more than 90 percent to 2.7 billi

South Korean food and beverage manufacturer Dongsuh Foods announced Monday it will operate an Oreo pop-up store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, until June 18 to mark Oreo Day on May 25. Commemorating Oreo’s 111th anniversary since its launch in 1912, the pop-up store is designed to give consumers a different experience of the brand, celebrating the achievement of becoming the world's No. 1 cookie. The pop-up store consists of a total of three spaces: the Welcome Zone, the Connect Zone and the

South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang said Monday that it recently completed the construction of the world's largest pizza production plant in the US state of Kansas, in a bid to ramp up its competitiveness in the all-important market. According to CJ CheilJedang, the company recently added 40,000 square meters to its frozen pizza production facility in Salina, Kansas. With the expansion, the plant now stands on 90,000 square meters of land, marking it the largest frozen pizza production p

K-food's popularity, healthiness give Ourhome competitive edge in overseas markets, US business chief says

The Formna, a South Korean online retailer, announced Thursday it is launching the 2023 BTS Permission to Dance Spring Sandals in July through an official licensing agreement with Hybe, the K-pop agency behind the global sensation. According to the Formna, the BTS-themed sandals, in both black and white versions, will be produced in collaboration with Noitavonni, a Korean shoemaker specializing in health care shoes. The company’s air cushion patents have gained approval from the US Food an

Prices of popular eating out options at restaurants continued to increase in April, adding more pressure to people’s consumption, a state-led agency’s data showed Wednesday. According to the Korea Consumer Agency data, the average price of a bowl of jajangmyeon, or noodles in black bean sauce, in Seoul increased by 12.5 percent on-year to 6,915 won ($5.20), up from 6,146 won a year ago. The average price of a bowl of samgyetang -- ginseng chicken soup that is popular during the summe