Customization takes hold in the dessert market

Yoajung's build-your-own menu tops its own sales charts

Yoajung's Hwang Cheese Mitzu [Yoajung]
Yoajung's Hwang Cheese Mitzu [Yoajung]

A new culture is taking root in the dessert market — one where customers move beyond fixed menus to mix, match and share toppings according to their own tastes.

Premium dessert brand Yoajung has been at the forefront of this customization trend, offering consumers the experience of completing a menu themselves, according to industry sources Wednesday.

SNS has played a central role in spreading Yoajung's customization culture. So-called "celebrity combinations" — in which K-pop idols and other public figures reveal their personal topping choices — have generated wide buzz. Consumers then replicate or reinterpret those combinations and share them online, giving rise to new popular pairings.

Analysts say this has created a virtuous cycle in which brand-proposed menus are reproduced as consumer content, reinforcing Yoajung's distinctive brand identity.

Sales data reflect the trend clearly. Yoajung's top-selling item is its "My Way Yogurt Ice Cream," which lets customers freely choose from a range of toppings. As more consumers seek to balance health and personal preference, a low-sugar version has also climbed the sales rankings.

In addition, signature items featuring honeycomb and granola, as well as menus built around a chocolate shell, have maintained steady popularity — keeping the "my own combination" trend alive.

The customization ethos is now extending to new collaboration menus with Orion. The flagship "Hwang Cheese Mitzu Yoajung," along with "Hwang Cheese Mitzu Bingsu" and "Hwang Cheese Mitzu Greek's Jeongseok," have all drawn positive responses, with customers able to add their preferred toppings to each.

The industry expects taste-driven experiential consumption to grow further. "The experience of choosing, combining and sharing is becoming the new standard in dessert culture," an industry official said.


spa@heraldcorp.com