Jumbo Ramyun of GS25, along with its first and second series Jumbo Dosirak (Lunchbox) and Gongganchoon, has recorded 18.0 billion won ($ 13.5 million) in sales to date. The instant noodle, available in lunch box form, reached cumulative sales of 2 million units. It became the first GS25 brand product to claim the top spot in not only the ramyun category but also in the list of processed foods.
The switch of the idea that instant noodles can serve more than one person has earned an enthusiastic response from the market. Portion enough to share with a group of people at gatherings or camping while following the trend of “Mukbag” (a portmanteau in Korea of “eating” and “broadcast”) has also contributed to its popularity.
The ChosunBiz met with GS Retail Merchandiser Kim Dae-jong on Feb. 5 at GS Tower in Gangnam, Seoul.
Kim, in his 10th year at the company, tried an average of four different instant noodles each day after he was assigned to the Ramyun Planning Department in 2022. He tasted all kinds of noodles on sale for research, in addition to about 450 varieties from around the world. He consequently gained 10 kilograms in the first two years of his assignment.
MD was thinking about noodle day and night, and the idea of breaking the mold of “single-serving cup noodles” struck him. Numerous cases to diversity the ramyun, like taste or collaboration, have been made, but the rule of “one-person serving cup noodles” has never been broken.
When Mukbang creators taking on the “Jumbo Ramyun” eating challenge organized by Japanese ramen stores made a splash, Kim was inspired to sell jumbo-size noodles at convenience stores. He even visited such places and challenged himself.
The making process, however, was easier said than done. The item utilizing a square lunch box was proposed to Paldo, South Korea’s leading food brand, but it was difficult to convince them. Existing ramyun companies also refused Kim’s proposal to collaborate. The lack of ability to produce a huge container that would hold 8.5 servings of regular ramen and seasonings was the reason for their rejections.
MD Kim traveled to manufacturers across the country to create a safe container and a noodle that could preserve its flavor when cooked in large quantities. Considering the portion of the ramyun, a whole new ratio of mix combination was to be generated to prevent the noodles from becoming too soggy after some time; Ultimately, six different types of noodles were tested to find the right ratio.
A noodle as tasty as any other regular cup noodles but does not become soggy soon was created. Paldo was satisfied with the prototype, and their collaboration went about.
After about a year and three months of development, Jumbo Dosirak, the first series of Jumbo Ramyun, was released last May. It was a hit. The initial batch of 50,000 units was sold out in just three days. For more than 200 days after the launch, the opening rush continued, with the entire stock being sold out on the same day.
In terms of sales, Jumbo Ramyun topped not just the list of instant noodles, but also the entire processed food category. This is the first time in GS25′s history that their brand’s instant noodle has topped the sales list, overtaking all the leading national brand noodles such as Yukgaejang and Shin Ramyun Big Bowl.
“Jumbo Ramyun series is still on a roll because it is delicious and can be eaten together,” said Kim.
