"Geoje Yaho" has drawn even vacationers to the seaside. Geoje, which became a hot topic as a social media meme, has emerged as this summer's hottest getaway destination, driving a sharp rise in sales at beachside convenience stores.
According to the industry on the 5th, all three major convenience store chains saw sales rise at stores near major beaches nationwide during the five days from the 24th to the 28th of last month, when the heat wave began.
BGF Retail, which operates CU, said sales at stores near major beaches including Haeundae and Gwangalli in Busan, as well as Gangneung, Sokcho, Yangyang and Boryeong, rose 5.8% from the same period a year earlier.
GS25, operated by GS Retail, also saw sales rise 11.7% at 45 stores near major beaches nationwide, while Seven Eleven reported a 10% increase in sales at 30 stores near major beaches.
The most notable location was Geoje in South Gyeongsang Province. Interest in Geoje surged after "Geoje Yaho," shouted by Minami, a member of the girl group Lisenne, recently spread as a meme on social media. According to Google Trends, searches for "Geoje" over the past three months rose 100% from the same period a year earlier.
The rise in visitors translated into higher sales. Sales at GS25's store near Wahyeon Beach in Geoje rose 105% from the same period last month, the highest growth rate among stores near beaches nationwide. Sales at the store near Deokpo Beach also rose 76% from the previous month and 30% from the same period a year earlier, far exceeding the national average growth rate.
At CU, sales at stores near Geoje beaches rose 9.5% from the same period a year earlier, surpassing the average growth rate for major beaches. Seven Eleven also saw sales rise 16% at more than 10 stores near Geoje beaches, exceeding the average growth rate for stores near major beaches nationwide (10%).
As the heat wave continued, beachside convenience stores saw a sharp increase in sales of beverage products such as ice cups, bottled water and canned beer. Sales of livestock products such as pork belly and fruits including watermelon also rose.
The convenience store industry has moved to secure inventory to meet peak summer demand. GS25 keeps popular summer products constantly stocked at stores near beaches and operates a special delivery system to quickly supply emergency volumes. It has also installed specialized shelves for K-products aimed at foreign tourists.
CU has increased inventory of key products at beachside stores by up to five times since last month. It plans to enhance customer convenience by operating themed display spaces such as "Check Before Heading to Your Accommodation," "Tonight's Snack Recommendations," "Emergency Battery Charging" and "Rain Response."
Seven Eleven also increased inventory of cup ice, instant noodles, smoothies and water play items by up to four times the usual level. It has also strengthened its K-goods lineup, including magnets and souvenirs for foreign tourists.
