Homebodies have become the latest marketing target in Korea as an increasing number of young people enjoy food and entertainment at home.

Luxury hotels have joined grocery and convenient stores to cater take-out party meals for customers planning house parties for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas began selling its 250,000 won ($215) “holiday turkey set” from October, a month earlier than its rivals after seeing a 50-percent on-year jump in its turkey sales in November-December 2018.

While turkey sets in the past were mostly consumed by foreigners residing in Korea or Koreans with overseas experience, they are now increasingly sought after by young Koreans that are part of a growing trend of holding potluck parties at home, the hotel explained.

“Many party throwers seem to be turning to plated meals prepared by a hotel chef because of their convenience and presentability,” said Yang Mong-joo, head of Grand InterContinental’s gourmet delicatessen Grand Deli.

Conrad Seoul has also put out a roast turkey set (240,000 won) and Beijing duck set (106,000 won) as its year-end holiday menus. They are three to four times more expensive than typical takeouts like chicken or pizza but are gaining in popularity among those willing to splurge on special occasions, the hotel said.

Hotels are also developing more delivery menus for children’s birthday parties or family anniversaries. JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul, heartened by the sale of its “holiday to-go set” for the New Year and Chuseok holidays, further expanded its takeout menu, releasing a “party to-go” version in April and “turkey to-go” in November.

Home-meal catering has become the primary income source for convenience stores, which have now added delivery service.

CU started offering delivery services at 2,000 stores across the country after its pilot test in May was met with stronger-than-expected demand. It plans to expand the services to 3,000 stores by the year-end.

With a 3,000-won delivery fee, CU customers that purchase more than 10,000 won on the delivery app Yogiyo can have the products delivered right to their homes if they live within 1.5-kilometer radius of a CU outlet. Average spend per occasion has surged 10.2 percent to 18,180 won after delivery was broadened to non-food items, the company said.

Its local rival GS25, which also runs a joint delivery service with Yogiyo, saw its delivery sales jump more than 29 times compared with April. It has expanded its delivery service outlets from four to 10, and bumped up the range of deliverable items from 200 to 268.

By Lee Yoo-jin and Kim Hyo-jin

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]