[MyDaily = Reporter Bang Geum-suk] With dining-out prices soaring, convenience stores are carving out a bigger slice of the summer beverage scene by rolling out 1,000 KRW (approximately $0.75 USD) coffees and freshly blended, made-to-order smoothies.
On the 13th, industry sources said the four major convenience store chains are racing to expand seasonal drink lineups—adding made-to-order smoothies and iced pouch drinks—to meet an earlier-than-usual heat wave and step up competition.
7-Eleven has introduced the Original Made-to-Order Smoothie system that found success in Japan. The concept caught attention in Korea last year after TV personality Choo Sung-hoon featured it on his livestream.
After about a year of local tweaks and operational testing, 7-Eleven began rolling out smoothie machines nationwide on the 11th. The menu features three flavors—strawberry banana, mango, and berry yogurt—blended in-store to order. Each option is under 100 kcal and priced at 3,000 KRW (approximately $2.25 USD).
Park Dae-sung, head of 7-Eleven’s ready-food team, said, “We precisely control mixing times, rotation speeds, and blade heights for each product to maximize the ingredients’ flavor,” and added, “Made-to-order smoothies are poised to be a standout in the convenience-store drink market this summer.”
Amid high inflation, chains are also leaning into value-for-money strategies.
GS25 boosted its 1,000 KRW (approximately $0.75 USD) pouch coffee lineup with a hazelnut-flavored Americano, targeting the value iced-coffee crowd. The chain runs a standing promotion that includes a free cup of ice with every pouch purchase, effectively letting customers enjoy an iced coffee for 1,000 KRW (approximately $0.75 USD).
Son Dae-cheon, MD of GS25’s beverage and food team, said, “We noticed nine out of 10 customers who buy pouch drinks also purchase an ice cup, so we made the ice-cup giveaway a permanent offer,” and added, “We now carry over 30 pouch drink varieties to widen choices.”
CU expanded its summer signature iced pouch lineup, Delafe. Delafe—a pour-over-ice concept—is a seasonal bestseller for CU, selling more than 150 million units annually.
CU set the price for five top sellers—peach iced tea, blue lemonade, Americano and two others—at 900 KRW (approximately $0.68 USD). With cup ice added, the total sits around 1,500 KRW (approximately $1.13 USD). The chain also introduced 18 new items, reflecting trendy recipes popular with younger consumers—like Amangchu (iced tea + mango) and Ashatchu (iced tea + extra shot)—and expanded into specialty coffees such as Blue Mountain.
Kim Jang-woong, MD of BGF Retail’s beverage and food team, said, “We’re going beyond value to strengthen trendy menus so customers can enjoy a café-like variety at convenience stores,” and added, “We’ll keep expanding differentiated offerings for the summer drink market.”
Emart24 is leaning into the mixology trend, where blending multiple ingredients creates new flavor combos. The chain upped its drink lineup from eight to 15 items and added four so-called “convenience-store perfect pairings” to its café-style private brand Seongsu 310, including Eolbeta (ice + pear + taurine) and Eolkata (ice + caffeine + taurine).
It’s also offering larger 340ml options for 1,200 KRW (approximately $0.90 USD) to boost perceived value. Emart24 plans to follow with budget-friendly desserts designed to pair with drinks, such as bite-sized ice cream and small roll cakes.
Park Geon-woo, MD of Emart24’s beverage and food team, said, “As the weather warms, demand for drinks rises. By expanding our mixology offerings, we’ll continue introducing differentiated products that reflect young consumer trends.”
