GS25 fresh food sales surge on preorder demand

GS Retail said Sunday that fresh food preorders at its GS25 convenience chain are gaining momentum, with the company planning to broaden the category as younger consumers lead the charge.

According to the company, the service, available through its mobile app, ran four promotional events between January and February, generating about 20,000 orders and pushing fresh-food sales through the app 540 percent higher than a year earlier.

The model lets customers browse and pay for perishables online and pick them up at a nearby GS25 store, addressing a long-standing constraint in convenience retail by enabling advance orders and offering a wider selection without the spoilage risks of holding inventory on-site, the company explained.

The service is drawing mostly younger shoppers. Customers in their 30s accounted for the largest share of buyers at 38 percent, followed by those in their 20s at 28 percent, together making up about 70 percent of orders.

GS25 said the trend reflects two converging forces: the rapid rise of single-person households in Korea and a growing preference for neighborhood shopping rather than trips to large supermarkets.

Against this backdrop, the company plans to further develop the model by broadening its lineup of smaller-portioned products for single-person households and opening more fresh-focused store formats in residential areas.

“The service aims to broaden the range of fresh foods available to customers beyond the space constraints of convenience stores,” a GS Retail official said. “We will continue offering seasonal products and timely promotions at reasonable prices.”