Pick n Pay introduces Korean food sections across South Africa
Expansion aims to give shoppers access to authentic Korean cuisine
SOUTH AFRICA – Pick n Pay is set to introduce dedicated Korean food markets at several of its stores starting this December.
The new sections will offer more than 80 products, including sauces, dry goods, snacks, cold beverages, and frozen items, designed to provide shoppers with a convenient way to experience Korean flavours.
This initiative is part of a partnership with Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), and Market Kokoro.
The launch was marked with an event at Pick n Pay’s flagship On Nicol store in Bryanston on 21 November, attended by KOTRA’s Regional Director-General for Africa, Choong Sik Jang, and senior company executives.
Jang stated that the collaboration offers Korean suppliers a dependable retail platform while expanding the availability of Korean products in the regional market.
The move also expands Pick n Pay’s “Taste of the World” menu, which currently includes Thai, Mexican, and Italian offerings.
Robert Gawith, a category specialist at Pick n Pay, highlighted that Asian cuisines such as Indian and Chinese have long been popular in South Africa, and Korean food is now gaining attention with its distinctive ingredients and flavour profiles.
Gawith added that Korean cuisine is recognised for its sweet and spicy combinations and is seen as a balanced, engaging, and diverse way of eating.
The Korean food range will be stocked at Pick n Pay The Verge, Pick n Pay Plettenberg Bay, and Pick n Pay Ottery from early December.
Pick and Pay’s success this year
In related developments, Pick n Pay reported a 40% year-on-year increase in on-demand grocery turnover for the first half of FY26, following a full upgrade of the technology behind its asap! app in April.
The retailer confirmed that the next-generation app is now profitable while expanding operations nationwide, with first-time users rising 131% since launch and 78% of them accessing the platform through the updated app.
The asap! platform currently lists more than 44,000 products across 620 stores and is supported by a network of over 2,500 drivers.
Enrico Ferigolli, Pick n Pay’s executive head of Online, explained that a three-year effort to rebuild both the back-end and front-end systems has created an integrated shopping experience allowing customers to shop, earn, and save in a single platform.
The app has received a 4.3 out of 5-star rating on both the Play Store and Apple App Store, with users noting the ability to select preferred stores, access Pick n Pay’s hypermarket network, and redeem Smart Shopper points.
An upgraded AI-powered search function now delivers tailored results based on previous purchases and can manage spelling errors, returning over 1,200 options for queries such as “vegan.”
Ferigolli emphasised that improving search was essential, as most customers begin their shopping journey with a search, and the updated system prioritises results relevant to their past shopping behaviour.
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