Paldo and hy said on the 18th that their global food and beverage brand ARIH is entering Japan and Canada as part of a push to expand its overseas distribution network. Following an April launch in the United States, the companies plan to broaden their sales channels to accelerate their push into the Asian and North American markets.
In Japan, ARIH will be sold exclusively at 7-Eleven. The companies said they aim to expand consumer touchpoints and raise brand awareness by tapping the store network of 7-Eleven, which operates about 22,000 outlets across the country. In Canada, the brand has partnered with local retail giant Loblaw to sell products through a range of channels, including large supermarkets and community-based stores. Based on consumer responses gauged through this rollout, the companies plan to refine their product lineup and sales channels to build an operating model suited to the Canadian market.
The companies will also hold pop-up events to mark each country's product launch. In Japan, a pop-up store will run from the 19th to the 23rd at Zerobase in Tokyo's Shibuya district, introducing the brand and offering product sampling. It will also feature an experience program in which visitors choose their own toppings for a modern noodle dish according to their taste.
In Canada, a pop-up will run in Toronto from the 21st to the 23rd, promoting the products in connection with BTS's world tour concert in the city. The companies plan to hold sampling events in collaboration with local restaurants and set up a separate booth at the Toronto Korean Festival, where they will showcase products including energy drinks and biotic sodas.
An official from Paldo and hy said the brand earned a "best seller" badge on Walmart's online store just three days after its U.S. launch, with some regions seeing products sell out amid a surge in demand. "We plan to closely examine the distribution environment and consumption patterns in each country and gradually expand our global sales network to regions such as South America and Southeast Asia," the official said.
