South Korea’s Lotte Mart, a member of Lotte Corporation, is expanding its global footprint with the opening of its first specialized grocery store overseas, located in Jakarta, Indonesia. This store, part of the company’s innovative strategy, was launched on January 28. Following the success of a similar concept in South Korea, Lotte Mart is now bringing this grocery-focused approach to the international market.
The new format, first trialed at the Eunpyeong branch in Seoul, has been adapted for the Gandaria store in Jakarta. Rebranded as “Grand Grocery,” the store dedicates a significant 90% of its space to food items, mirroring the approach that received positive feedback from customers in South Korea.
In this revamped Gandaria store, the grocery section has been expanded by 20%, now occupying 80% of the total area. This expansion includes unique specialty sections like “Yorihada Kitchen,” a live cooking area where visitors can watch the preparation of popular Korean dishes such as Tteokbokki, Gimbap, and seasoned chicken, as well as Indonesian cuisine. Additionally, the store features “Pungmisso,” an in-house bakery brand, which emphasizes convenience and ready-to-eat meals.
A Lotte Mart representative highlighted the strategy’s alignment with the growing demand for Korean food (K-Food) among the affluent middle class and Generation MZ (Millennials and Gen Z) in Indonesia. This move by Lotte Mart not only capitalizes on the increasing popularity of Korean cuisine globally but also reflects the company’s adaptability and commitment to catering to diverse consumer preferences in different markets.
