Online and offline sales expected to rise during major events

Chicken chains, convenience stores roll out discounts and buy-one-get-one deals

K-food franchises in Nagoya see chance to raise brand awareness

Seven-Eleven is offering discounts on about 300 items — including chicken and beer — targeting Asian Games viewers. [Seven-Eleven]
Seven-Eleven is offering discounts on about 300 items — including chicken and beer — targeting Asian Games viewers. [Seven-Eleven]

South Korea's food and retail industries are buzzing with anticipation ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, being held in neighboring Japan. With no time difference between the two countries, businesses expect a sales boost every time a marquee event tips off in popular sports such as baseball, soccer and basketball.

The Games, held in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, run through Oct. 4. The men's national basketball team, chasing its first Asian Games gold medal in 12 years, drew widespread attention after strong offensive showings in the group stage and quarterfinals held before the opening ceremony. The baseball team is gunning for a fifth straight title, while the men's soccer side is seeking a fourth consecutive gold. Star athletes including badminton player An Se-young, swimmers Hwang Sun-woo and Kim Woo-min, and League of Legends player Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok) are also chasing records.

Chicken franchise chains have launched sports-themed promotional events on their apps to coincide with the Games. bhc is running its "Fighting Korea Cheering Festival" from Sept. 10 through Oct. 4, offering discounts of 1,000 to 5,000 won per order. The campaign also includes guerrilla missions that reward customers with Curinkle exchange vouchers during "big match" games. Kyochon Chicken kicked off its "Kyochon Medal Challenge" on Thursday, running through Oct. 4, awarding points and discount coupons based on the number of medals customers collect with each order. bbq is offering a 4,000-won discount on popular menu items on Fridays and a 5,000-won discount on takeout orders placed in September.

Chicken chains have long been among the biggest beneficiaries of international sporting events such as the Olympics and the World Cup. This year, however, both the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics and the FIFA 2026 World Cup in North and Central America were held in time zones far from Korea. In the case of the World Cup, all of the Korean national team's group-stage matches kicked off between 10 and 11 a.m., and the team's early exit in the group stage further limited the sales windfall.

"Unlike the World Cup, the Asian Games have no time difference, so we expect delivery and takeout sales to climb alongside in-store sales whenever a major match is on," an official at one chicken franchise said. "With the Korean Baseball Organization postseason also around the corner, the effect of our sports-themed promotions should be amplified."

Convenience stores are joining in as well. GS25 will run a buy-one-get-one promotion on three varieties of its Sobaba Chicken throughout the Games, along with discounts of 1,000 to 2,000 won on beer and highball drinks and up to 40 percent off snacks. CU is holding a sale of up to 56 percent off on 70 food items — including alcohol, bar snacks, confectionery and fruit — through the end of September. Seven-Eleven is discounting about 300 items, including chicken, alcohol and ramyun, by up to 55 percent through the end of this month. During the North and Central America World Cup, convenience stores near Gwanghwamun, where fans gathered for street cheering, saw double- and triple-digit sales surges in ready-to-eat meals, snacks and beverages.

K-food franchises already operating in Nagoya are also looking forward to the Games, expecting not only a surge in demand during the competition period but also a chance to raise their brand profiles. Dessert brand Yoajeong operates three locations in Sakae and Osu, two of Nagoya's prime commercial districts. K-chicken brands including Nene Chicken and bbq (bbq Olive Chicken Cafe) also have stores in the city.

"We expect a large influx of domestic and international tourists and foot traffic during the Games, which should naturally translate into more visitors and greater brand recognition," a Yoajeong official said. "We plan to monitor on-site operations closely to ensure customers can enjoy a comfortable experience at our stores."

A banner for bhc's sports cheering event, currently running on the brand's app. [bhc app]
A banner for bhc's sports cheering event, currently running on the brand's app. [bhc app]

spa@heraldcorp.com