By Ko Dong-hwan
Kimbap shops, which have long attracted consumers with their affordable prices, are losing ground in the country’s dine-in market because of rising costs and the popularity of major convenience store chains, according to market experts.
The impact has hit both family-run stores and franchise restaurants, causing them to see lower profits or even close down. As for the prices, the reasons behind them rising is multipronged.
The rising prices of ingredients that go into kimbap – steamed rice and various ingredients wrapped in dried seaweed – is a key reason the businesses are increasingly becoming cash-strapped.
According to Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp., a governmental agency responsible for promoting, exporting and marketing Korean food around the world, the prices have mostly gone up from the previous year.