13 Oct 2025

CU chicken cups hit USD 3.6 million in sales in under a year

South Korea’s CU convenience chain is capitalizing on inflation-driven demand for affordable chicken snacks.

Jess Ramanee

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South Korea’s CU convenience store chain has sold over USD 3.6 million worth of its ‘cup dakgangjeong’ chicken snacks in under a year, reflecting strong consumer demand for affordable protein during a period of rising food prices.

Launched last year, the 220g cup of spicy-sweet fried chicken, priced at about USD 2.90, saw sales quadruple within a month. It quickly became the chain’s second best-selling chicken item after crispy boneless skewers.

CU has since expanded the line to include garlic soy sauce, honey, and wasabi mayo flavors. By summer, traditionally peak chicken season, sales hit 1.2 million units, consolidating its #2 ranking in chicken sales.

The product’s popularity has helped drive growth across CU’s broader chicken offerings. Sales of made-to-order chicken rose 35.6% in 2022, 51% in 2023, and 40.1% last year, with September alone up 27.1% year-on-year.

New products

Building on the momentum, CU will roll out a new ‘spicy-sweet tenderloin cup dakgangjeong’ this month, available in:

Small (220g) for USD
Large (660g) for USD 8.50

Unlike the current version made with imported Brazilian thigh meat, the new product will use locally-produced chicken tenderloin in partnership with domestic processors.

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“As whole chicken prices approach USD 22, convenience stores have become key low-cost alternatives,” said Yun Seung-hwan, merchandise planner at BGF Retail’s HMR team. “With made-to-order chicken sales jumping recently, CU will keep developing products that deliver better value for money.”

The move reflects a broader trend among Asian convenience retailers: offering affordable, small-format foods that maintain demand even as traditional chicken meals become more expensive.

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