Pengsoo creates hit for retailers

Pengsoo, a popular costumed penguin character from educational television network EBS, is sweeping the local retail market, with sales rocketing.

GS25, a convenience store chain here, said Thursday its collaboration products with Pengsoo is hitting record sales. GS25 rolled out four Pengsoo-themed fresh food items, including tuna sandwich and gimbab (seaweed rice-roll), two umbrellas and four socks on March 27.

Over 200,000 orders were made from its convenience stores on the first day of launch -- the largest number for all fresh food products released in the past year. From Saturday to Tuesday, more than 500,000 fresh food products were sold, showing a sales rate of 90 percent.

In the same period, the number of umbrellas sold jumped 30 times the average sales of sunny days in the previous month.

During the four days after the Pengsoo socks were launched, total sales soared by 250 percent, compared to a year earlier.

Pengsoo dolls and cushions have also surged as popular-selling items, the convenience store chain operator said.

“GS25’s collaboration goods with Pengsoo are receiving very good response from customers, and are making record sales,” a GS25 official said. 

SPC Samlip also said its Pengsoo bread sold over 1 million in two weeks since its release, twice the figure of sales of other new products in the same period of time.

The 71 different illustration sticker Pengsoo seals enclosed in Pengsoo bread, which the customers can collect, also drove its popularity. According to the company, more than 1,000 purchase-proof shots were uploaded on social media on the day of the release.

Other food companies are also seeking to grab the hearts of the customers with Pengsoo marketing.

Dunkin’ Donuts, operated by SPC Group, has also introduced two donuts -- Peng-peng Coconut Buttermilk Donut and Peng-ha Coconut Buttercream-filled donut.

Dongwon F&B too has introduced a limited edition of 5,000 Pengsoo tuna gift box, that includes canned tuna wrapped in 15 different Pengsoo prints.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldocorp.com)