Food Industry Targets Generation MZ Through Pop-up Stores

A pop-up store of Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co. is seen in this photo provided by the company.

SEOUL, May 17 (Korea Bizwire) — As pop-up stores are gaining popularity among the “Generation MZ,” a Korean term referring to millennials and Generation Z, the South Korean food industry is coming up with similar marketing strategies to target the same generation.

Pop-up stores are a great choice for viral marketing, industry analysts say, allowing companies to closely engage with consumers and gain popularity as “photo zones” among Generation MZ.

Baesangmyun Brewery Co.’s pop-up store, which was set up in Seoul’s Seongdong District for 10 days last month, was visited by a total of 10,124 people.

The store was designed to allow consumers to try making the company’s various liquor products themselves.

It was accompanied by unique photo zones and bars where guests could try their hand at making cocktails.

Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co. is also running a pop-up store in the same district to promote Milkis, one of the company’s main drinks.

The store sells various merchandise, including limited edition products, desserts, and souvenirs created in collaboration with Japan’s character giant Sanrio.

Local craft beer company 7brau also has a pop-up store in the Seongdong District, providing free wheat beer as part of an ongoing promotion.

The company designed the store after Hoengseong Brewery, where the company first produced its handcrafted beer.

Marketing firm Careet conducted a survey of 283 men and women between the ages of 15 and 27, which showed that 97.2 percent of respondents had visited a pop-up store before, with 43.1 percent saying that they visited a pop-up store once every five outings.

Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)