CU expands character 3D ice cream lineup
Pat & Mat bar sold 100,000 units within a month of launch
Convenience store CU announced Tuesday it will launch three 3D ice cream products shaped like Pokémon characters Ditto, Pikachu and Magikarp.
The first to hit shelves is the Frozen Ditto Sorbet, set to launch Wednesday. Inspired by the character's signature purple color, the bar comes in a grape flavor with a crunchy texture designed to add to the eating experience.
Then on Oct. 14, CU will add two more: a mango-flavored Frozen Pikachu Sorbet and an orange-flavored Frozen Magikarp Sorbet, each designed to closely replicate the look of the characters from the animated series.
The new Pokémon releases are expected to further strengthen CU's growing lineup of character-themed 3D ice cream.
CU first tapped into the character ice cream trend in July with a Pat & Mat-themed bar, which sold 100,000 units within a month of launch. The chain has since rolled out ice cream products featuring Hello Kitty, Kuromi, Pompompurin, Han Gyodong, Minions and Crayon Shin-chan.
CU has already seen strong customer demand for Pokémon-branded products. A Pokémon card set released for Children's Day in May sold 250,000 units in three days, and a four-item Pokémon card gift set offered as a Chuseok gift option sold out within two days of going on pre-sale.
CU began rolling out collaboration products tied to the Nintendo game Pokémon Pokopia on Wednesday, and will run a pop-up store at its CU Hongdae Sangsang branch in Mapo-gu, Seoul, through Oct. 18, selling Pokémon-themed goods including mobiles, stickers, magnets and keyrings.
"The trend of experiential consumption — enjoying characters in everyday life — is converging with the kidult trend, and 3D ice cream featuring character intellectual property continues to gain popularity," said Ryu Jin-young, a merchandise director on BGF Retail's snack food team. "We will keep introducing differentiated products to deliver new enjoyment to our customers."
spa@heraldcorp.com
