[Edaily Reporter Shin Su-jeong] CJ Freshway is expanding its lineup of new desserts for school meals. This move comes as sales of related products have increased due to growing student demand for desserts.

#CJ Freshway announced on the 4th that sales in the school meal dessert category from January to May of this year increased by approximately 30% compared to the same period last year. The company explained that dessert trends spreading through social media and the food service industry are influencing students’ preferences for school meal menus.

CJ Freshway will launch “Noted Cloud Oranda” and “Noted Cantaloupe Melon Mini Donuts,” developed in collaboration with Noted, this month. Since 2024, the company has been partnering with the dessert café brand Noted to develop and distribute popular menu items in sizes and shapes suitable for school meal service. Sales of the Noted collaboration product line increased 4.4 times year-over-year as of the first quarter of this year.

Last month, the company introduced the Chewy Ube Butter Rice Cake. This product combines ube (purple yam) with butter rice cake, featuring a distinctive purple hue, sweetness, and rich butter flavor.

The company is also expanding its lineup of products utilizing character intellectual property (IP). The two types of “Zanmang Ruppi” fruit and vegetable drinks launched by CJ Freshway last March come in plum and Shine Muscat flavors. Cumulative sales exceeded 1 million packs within three months of launch.

A CJ Freshway representative stated, “The school meal market is seeing a growing trend toward products that incorporate the latest trends and IP collaborations to cater to the preferences of students, who are sensitive to trends.” They added, “We will continue to introduce differentiated products that combine taste, texture, and visual appeal—such as the Ube Butter Rice Cake—to provide students with an enjoyable meal experience.”