[Edaily Reporter Kim Ji-woo ] CU, a convenience store chain operated by BGF Retail(282330), is expanding its lineup of ready-to-eat bibimbap meals featuring seasonal summer vegetables, driven by the popularity of its garlic chive bibimbap.

CU announced on the 19th that it will launch three varieties of bibimbap: Crispy Chili Pepper, Pickled Cucumber, and Chive Bibimbap. Each is priced at 4,900 won.

The Crispy Chili Pepper Bibimbap combines cucumber chili peppers and soy sauce-marinated bulgogi with a spicy-sweet special ssamjang sauce. The Pickled Cucumber Bibimbap features sweet-and-sour pickled cucumber salad, while the Chive Bibimbap includes fragrant quick-pickled chives, each paired with minced meat such as stir-fried pork.

CU is expanding its lineup of ready-to-eat meals featuring seasonal vegetables because recipes using seasonal ingredients are gaining popularity, particularly on social media. Previously, after a garlic scape gochujang recipe garnered attention on social media, CU launched its Garlic Scape Bibimbap on the 1st. The product gained popularity, rising to second place in the lunchbox category sales rankings just two weeks after its launch. Since the launch of the garlic chive bibimbap, sales in the bibimbap category from the 1st to the 16th of this month increased by 23.9% compared to the same period last year.

CU plans to gradually introduce unique bibimbap varieties featuring side dishes as main ingredients, such as braised Korean chili peppers and shredded radish kimchi.

Hwang Mi-yeon, a Merchandising Director (MD) on the Convenience Foods Team at BGF Retail, said, “We will continue to introduce differentiated products that reflect consumer trends.”