Dessert sales leap despite prolonged recession

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

Lifestyle

Mon, October 2, 2023 | 19:41

Life

Dessert sales leap despite prolonged recession

Posted : 2015-02-17 15:31

Updated : 2015-02-17 17:08

Strawberry desserts sold at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas' strawberry dessert buffet (45,000 won) / Yonhap

By Kwon Ji-youn

Despite the bad economy, dessert cafes are flourishing as more people seek comfort in "small luxuries."

Strawberry dessert buffets run by a number of Seoul's major hotels were packed with people on Friday evening. The buffets cost some 45,000 won per person, but the waiting lists are so long that one must book more than three weeks in advance for a seat.

"We're overbooked," said a hotel official. "We can list up visitors for dates three weeks from today, which is the first or second weekend of March, but that doesn't guarantee a booking."

Dessert cafes located within department stores are also seeing prodigious growth in sales.

Demand for French "La Maison du Chocolat" has more than doubled since the product appeared at the main Sinsegae Department Store in Jung-gu, central Seoul. The coin-sized chocolate costs 4,500 won ($4.10).

Other products that boast lofty sales are truffles, which cost 103,000 won for 190 grams; the Praline Gift Box, 63,000 won for 16 pieces; and the Small Gesture Gift Box, which also costs 63,000 won for 16 pieces.

The Dojima roll available at "Mon Chou Chou," has sold out despite costing a whopping 19,000 won. All traces of this popular roll perish at around three or four in the afternoon.

This kind of spending isn't all about Valentine's Day _ it's a testament to the country's craving for "small luxuries" as the recession prolongs.

"These days, we're not as free to spend on ‘big' luxuries like bags or shoes, but we've worked hard so we deserve a treat," said Bang Youn-ju, 29, who works for a design company. "For a dessert, 50,000 won may seem extreme, but we office workers spend that kind of money easily in two or three days, on lunch and coffee. In that sense, dessert is a luxury, but not a debilitating one."

Others say dessert provides satisfaction in the most immediate form.

"As we're forced to save and save and save, we long more than ever to spend and spend and spend," said Ko Joong-yoon, an office worker. "At the very least, when we're with family and friends, we want to enjoy that moment. The cost of this dessert buffet is 45,000 won, which is equivalent to the amount it costs to buy my colleagues coffee one morning. I can't buy a car, but I can afford this."

Industry watchers agree that the burgeoning demand for expensive desserts and drinks is because of the "self-gifting" culture fanning out among the younger generation, as well as a desire for attention on social networking sites.

"Those who visit our hotel's dessert buffets are often seeking comfort after a tiresome week at work," said the hotel staffer. "To ensure they receive this, we guarantee the utmost quality in our desserts so that while they're here, they forget about the recession and their daily struggles."

jykwon@ktimes.co.kr