The convenience store industry is successively unveiling unique dessert products utilizing rice cakes or tteok in Korean. The variety is expanding, ranging from traditional injeolmi and baekseolgi to fusion items combining chocolate and pizza toppings.
As desserts with a chewy texture gain attention centered on social networking services, convenience stores are also increasing their related product offerings.
According to the convenience store industry on the 26th, GS25, operated by GS Retail, will sell "Seolbing Pizza Seolgi" at all its nationwide stores on the 5th of next month. It is a frozen dessert featuring pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and corn placed on top of baekseolgi (white rice cake). Instead of typical pizza dough, it uses baekseolgi to emphasize a chewy texture.
The price of the 130g product is 3,900 won. GS25 will also conduct a limited pre-order for 5,000 units on its mobile app "Uri Dongne GS" from the 26th to the 31st.
CU, operated by BGF Retail, is targeting demand with products combining rice cakes and chocolate. The "Fresh Choco Mochi" and "Fresh Choco Matcha Mochi," launched last month, surpassed a cumulative sales volume of 400,000 units within one month of release.
CU additionally launched the "Mochi Pave Chocolate Matcha Flavor" on the 22nd of this month. The product combines chewy mochi with thick pave chocolate and is priced at 4,500 won.
CU's rice cake sales are also on an upward trend. Following a 42.2% year-on-year increase in 2024, sales rose by 17.6% in 2025. Sales from January to September this year increased by 96.5% compared to the same period last year. Rice cake sales from the 1st to the 22nd of this month, following the launch of the Fresh Choco Mochi series, surged by 158.9% compared to the same period last year.
7-Eleven, operated by Korea Seven, will launch "Pumpkin Injeolmi Rice Cake" and "Black Sesame Rice Cake" on the 29th. These products were inspired by menus from popular rice cake specialty stores and are priced at 3,500 won each. The Pumpkin Injeolmi Rice Cake uses domestic glutinous rice and pumpkin powder, coated with castella powder. The Black Sesame Rice Cake adds black sesame powder to injeolmi filled with red bean paste to enhance a nutty flavor. Both products are packaged as six-piece sets.
7-Eleven's rice cake sales increased by 62% year-on-year from January to September this year, showing an expanded growth rate following a 19% increase during the same period last year. During the same period, rice cake sales to foreign customers also rose by 80%. Two mochi products from the Japanese chocolate brand Chiroi, which were relaunched last month, recorded sales of 200,000 units by October 21 following their relaunch.
Behind the expansion of rice cake dessert products by convenience stores is the growing number of consumers seeking products that add new flavors and textures to familiar ingredients. So-called "rice cake pilgrimages," where people visit famous restaurants to enjoy rice cakes, are gaining attention on SNS, while products incorporating ingredients familiar to young consumers, such as chocolate or matcha, are also increasing. As foreign tourists' purchases of rice cakes rise, product development targeting K-dessert demand is also continuing.
A convenience store industry official said, "As rice cake desserts featuring unique textures and flavors gain attention centered on SNS, the number of customers seeking related products is increasing," adding, "We are broadening customer choices by unveiling new products incorporating various ingredients."
in LIVING
