The traditional rice cake market is undergoing standardization through franchise brands, with the overlapping use of gifts and special occasions (holidays, college entrance exams, weddings, and funerals) and everyday desserts . Exports are projected to reach a record high of USD 91.4 million (+17.5% year-on-year) in 2024, confirming the strong overseas demand for "K-desserts." Korea Herald
In the domestic market, brand positioning has been differentiated between "café-style rice cake desserts" (cream rice cakes/tiramisu rice cakes, etc.) and "traditional gift-type" products (e.g., Tteokbo 's Day = traditional/gift, Cheongnyeon Rice Cake Shop = cream/fusion).
division | Key items | characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| raw materials | Non-glutinous rice/glutinous rice, red bean/bean paste, dairy products (cream), nuts/seeds | Impact of imported raw materials, dairy product prices, and exchange rates |
| equipment/devices | Steamer, steamer, mixer, cutter, rapid cooling, showcase | HACCP and temperature and humidity management are important. |
| Packaging/Logistics | Vacuum/refrigerated packaging, cooler kits, shopping bags | Demand for gifts, courier/quick delivery, and early morning delivery |
| IT/Operations | POS·Inventory/Expiration Date·Delivery Integration | Reservation/Holiday Peak Demand Forecast |
| Interior | Traditional + Modern Counter, Gift Display Zone | Experiential and tasting routes are important. |
field | Key Supply/Brand Clues | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise headquarters | Tteokbo's Day (nationwide delivery/reservation), seasonal gift set operation | Specializing in traditional and gift-giving items, with a high proportion of seasonal sales. |
| Dessert brand | Youth Rice Cake Shop (Cream Rice Cake/Collaboration Goods) | Targeting the MZ demographic, the company excels at online shopping and bulk orders. Cheongnyeon Tteokjip |
| Raw and auxiliary materials | OEM for bean paste, premix, and packaging materials | PB/premix expansion (standardization of recipes) |
| distribution | Mixed refrigerated and room temperature + last mile | Flexible transportation during peak holiday and college entrance exam seasons |
Note: You can check the requirements for each brand on information channels (e.g., MyPcha ) that provide basic specifications such as startup costs and franchise store count.
Trend | detail |
|---|---|
| Growth in K-dessert exports | The growing global demand for tteok and tteokbokki is behind the rapid export growth. ( Korea Herald ) |
| Fixed demand for gifts and thank-you gifts | Strong seasonality for college entrance exams, weddings, first birthdays/sixtieth birthdays, and corporate thank-you gifts (packaging is important). ( www2.dcake.co.kr ) |
| Fusion phone and cafe phone | Combining Western ingredients like whipped cream, cheese, and tiramisu, the restaurant appeals to younger generations. ( Youth Rice Cake Shop ) |
| Delivery/Packaging Experience | Packaging innovations to maintain freshness, temperature, and shape influence purchasing decisions. |
area | Application/Effect |
|---|---|
| Demand forecasting | Compress reservation production and inventory using holiday/exam date, weather, and weekday data |
| Quality control | Reduce claims with rapid cooling, expiration date sensors, and checklists. |
| Packaging innovation | Condensation-resistant, moisture-proof, and cooling package + ESG material conversion (paper/PLA) |
| Omnichannel | Simultaneous operation of stores, private malls, markets, and delivery platforms, and management of bulk orders and corporate gifts. |
item | Scope/Notes |
|---|---|
| Initial costs | Small 60-90 million won / Standard 100-160 million won (equipment and showcase proportion ↑) |
| Sales structure | Seasonal peak (Lunar New Year, Chuseok, CSAT, wedding season) + weekend dessert demand |
| Cost structure | Rice, dairy products, bean paste, packaging materials + labor/delivery costs (online share ↑) |
| risk | Same-day freshness and expiration date are sensitive, and costs for return and damage management are incurred. |
(Varies greatly depending on brand and location. Refer to the information disclosed by each headquarters or franchise for startup specifications.) My Pcha
We're reducing waste by switching to eco-friendly packaging materials (paper and PLA) and simplifying packaging . The use of recyclable materials is also expanding in gift packaging. (Check brand seasons and general product categories.) www2.dcake.co.kr
The health and sustainability agenda will be strengthened, including transparency of origin and supply chain (rice and dairy products) and recipes that reduce sugar and fat .
danger | influence | react |
|---|---|---|
| Raw materials and exchange rates | Rising costs of dairy products, nuts, packaging materials, etc. | Long-term contracts, alternative recipes, and standard integration |
| Freshness/damage risk | Increased claims and return costs | Packaging Improvement, Cold Chain, and Pickup Recommendations |
| Off-season sales gap | Fixed cost burden | Subscription/Gift Card/Corporate Gift B2B Acquisition |
| Counterfeit/non-standard | Damage to brand trust | Headquarters QC, HACCP, and standard recipe training |
characteristic | direction | Basis/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| domestic demand | gentle + | Demand for gifts and desserts continues to grow, leading to a continued shift towards cafes. |
| export | + | Exports to hit record high in 2024, with K-desserts continuing to expand. ( Korea Herald ) |
| Unmanned/Reservation | + | Combine reservations, pickup, and early morning delivery to reduce labor costs. |
| ESG conversion rate | + | Eco-friendly gift wrapping, public procurement/corporate ESG demand |
Brand positioning differentiation : Traditional gift-type vs. fusion dessert-type— avoiding the risk of undifferentiation within the same market. D-Cake
Packaging is Quality : Rice cakes are susceptible to breakage, drying, and temperature sensitivity → Packaging and cold chain investment determine sales and reviews . www2.dcake.co.kr
Seasonal Risk Management : Manufacturing, workforce, and logistics capacity planning (S&OP) is essential before and after the holiday and exam seasons .
Overseas, it all starts with gift sets : The first gateway to K-dessert awareness is gift and collaboration sets —local partner logistics and set standardization are key. Korea Herald
One-line summary :
The rice cake franchise is growing on a two-track basis of “traditional gifts + fusion desserts,” and packaging, cold chain, and seasonal forecasting are key levers that determine profitability.
