Small-portion cut fruit sold at Lotte Mart. [Lotte Mart]
Small-portion cut fruit sold at Lotte Mart. [Lotte Mart]

Lotte Mart and Lotte Super said Thursday that sales of small-portion cut fruit surged 184 percent after the retailer overhauled the product lineup in May.

The revamp focused on reducing the price burden and expanding high-demand items. The standard weight for small-portion products increased from 150 grams to 200 grams, while the retail price held at 2,990 won. The lineup was also diversified, bringing the total range to seven varieties.

Lotte Mart and Lotte Super kept prices flat despite the weight increase by adopting a "full-spec purchasing" strategy. The approach pools the sourcing capabilities of both the mart and super divisions to buy fruit of various sizes and ratings directly from farms in bulk. The model reduces the burden on farmers to find buyers while improving cost competitiveness — a mutually beneficial procurement structure.

Fruit with minor surface blemishes or missing stems was channeled into cut-fruit production rather than discarded. Processing is handled by the Fresh Quality Innovation Center. Watermelon and melon, previously sold only in season, have been made available year-round this year through diversified sourcing channels. Mixed packs combining watermelon, melon, pineapple and other popular fruits were also added to the lineup.

"This overhaul went beyond convenience to maximize customer satisfaction by raising the overall value of the product — in terms of price, composition and quality," a Lotte Mart and Lotte Super official said.


korean@heraldcorp.com