'This' Inside Bread Sells for 8 Times the Price... 100,000 Convenience Store Breads Sold in 4 Days [How We Buy Now]

Limited Edition IP Goods Changing Retail Spending
RESCENE Bread a Hit Thanks to Photocards
Collaborations Expand With Mineumsa Bread and Monchhichi
From Edible Products to the Thrill of Collecting

Editor's NoteWhat are people buying these days? From household goods everyone picks up at Daiso, to the cosmetics that sell out at Olive Young, and bread that people line up for. Familiar scenes of consumption reflect the current trends in the market. <How We Buy Now> is a continuing series that explores what sells well and unpacks today's consumer trends through these everyday best-sellers. The column analyzes which products are being chosen and what strategies open consumers' wallets, making sense of changes on the front lines of consumer culture in an easy and engaging way.

'BAKE405' products co-branded with idol group RESCENE, sold at CU. BGF Retail

The retail industry is seeing great results from limited-edition goods marketing that combines various intellectual property (IP) assets–such as idol groups, publishers, and fashion brands. Random goods that appeal to fandoms and Millennials & Gen Z consumers' desire for collectibles have become a core success formula, encouraging store visits and driving activation of proprietary apps.

Random Photocards Outshine Bread... RESCENE Bread at CU Surpasses 100,000 Sales

According to the retail industry on October 3, CU, a convenience store chain operated by BGF Retail, has received an explosive response to a bakery product launched in collaboration with the five-member girl group RESCENE (리센느).

Launched as the first product in the line on September 17, "Woni's Corn Cream Bread" recorded a 99% sell-through rate within less than 24 hours and sold out on the day it was stocked. In just four days through September 20, cumulative sales of the collaboration bakery products exceeded 100,000 units, while overall bakery sales at CU jumped 20% year-on-year in the same period. All available stock for pre-orders in the company's app 'PocketCU' also sold out right after launch.

The main driving force behind the trend is the inclusion of transparent photocards (27 types in total) featuring RESCENE members in the bread packages. As the collecting craze grew, some photocards were being traded on major secondhand platforms at premiums six to eight times the original price. The focus of consumption has thus expanded from the food itself to the collectible value of the goods.

From Mineumsa Bookmarks to GD Hats

The boom in IP collaboration goods is rapidly spreading across the retail sector. GS25, for example, partnered with publisher Mineumsa to launch "Mineumsa Bread," which included one of 20 transparent bookmarks using quotes from its world literature and poetry collection. Within just over a month, cumulative sales surpassed 1.41 million units. The surge in customer searches for inventory even caused a waiting queue on the dedicated app "Wooridongne GS."

Mineumsa Bread sold at GS25. GS25

The food service industry is also focusing on attracting visitors through limited-edition goods. McDonald’s Korea launched hats, shoulder bags, and pin sets in collaboration with singer G-Dragon’s fashion brand PEACEMINUSONE as part of a joint campaign across 13 Asian markets. Baskin-Robbins introduced four pouch keyrings featuring the character Monchhichi, making them available for pre-order and in limited quantities at selected stores.

Beyond Simple Logo Placement: The Value of Collectibility

The recent trend in IP collaborations is that it goes beyond merely borrowing a famous name. Products are bundled with exclusive goods that can only be obtained through a purchase, and the inclusion of randomized sets adds the fun of collecting.

Industry insiders explain that this goods marketing has built an O4O (Online for Offline) virtuous cycle that not only boosts sales but also drives online app users to visit stores. Consumers check inventory and make pre-orders through mobile apps in hopes of securing rare goods, then come to the stores in person, solidifying this new flow.

McDonald's ZD Collaboration Goods. McDonald's

An official in the retail industry commented, "The axis that opens consumers’ wallets is shifting from product functionality to personal taste and collectible value," forecasting, "Competition for differentiated IP goods targeting fandoms and taste-driven spending will only intensify."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.