SOUTH KOREA. Lotte Duty Free has secured exclusive Korean travel retail distribution rights for Arih, the wellness-focused food brand developed in partnership with Paldo and Hy.
The retailer is extending Arih’s airport presence with a roll-out to its Gimpo Airport store on 19 June, adding to existing distribution at Gimhae Airport, Busan and Incheon Airport Terminal 2.
Positioned as a modern balanced food brand focused on wellness and everyday nutrition, Arih has attracted global attention through its collaboration with BTS.
The K-pop superstars contributed to everything from product concepts to packaging design.
Following its US debut through Walmart stores in May, the brand rapidly gained momentum, becoming a bestseller within three days and drawing strong interest from consumers worldwide.
The brand offers 28 products across three categories: Modern Noodles, which combine the characteristics of pasta and ramen; Postbiotic Energy Drinks, formulated for balanced energy replenishment; and Dual Biotic Sodas, low-sugar, low-calorie sparkling beverages available in fruit flavours.
The rising global interest in K-food is reflected in Lotte Duty Free’s food category performance, with foreign customer sales surging +58% year-on-year in the first quarter.
The retailer noted its plans to leverage Arih to further enhance its K-food offering and support upcoming product launches through targeted marketing activities.
The initiative also reflects the ongoing diversification of the travel retail offer, as retailers expand beyond traditional categories to create more distinctive shopping environments.
As reported last weekend, Lotte Duty Free has signed an agreement with top-selling Korean red ginseng brand Jung Kwan Jang to pursue joint product development and promotion, including exclusive Root Ginseng products and IP collaboration editions.
The latest partnerships underline the increasingly innovative approach being adopted by leading Korean travel retailers as they respond to evolving consumer spending patterns and preferences.
A Lotte Duty Free representative said, “Arih is a distinctive global food brand developed in collaboration with BTS and has attracted attention from customers both in Korea and overseas since its launch.
“As the exclusive duty-free retail channel in Korea, Lotte Duty Free aims to provide a special shopping experience for global fandom customers while further enhancing the competitiveness of K-food products.” ✈
