Rice Cakes vs. Mochi: Convenience Store Dessert War

As of September 3, 2026, GS25 has launched an exclusive yogurt rice cake in partnership with a popular dessert brand, while 7-Eleven added two new Japanese-style chocolate mochi flavors, heating up competition in convenience store desserts. Both chains are targeting shoppers in their 20s and 30s, as well as foreign tourists, with differentiated offerings.

3,900 won (~$2.90)Price of the limited-edition yogurt rice cake

400 unitsStock prepared for the trial sale

130,000 unitsUnits sold of the previous chocolate mochi release

53,000+Convenience stores nationwide

Key points

GS25 teamed up with a dessert brand that got its start in Seoul's Seongsu-dong and a manufacturing partner to sell the yogurt rice cake exclusively for 3,900 won (about $2.90).
In a trial sale at two stores in Seoul and Incheon in late August, the entire stock sold out in just 15 minutes.
7-Eleven expanded its mochi lineup to four flavors, adding shine muscat tart and sweet potato to its existing injeolmi (roasted soybean powder) and chocolate options.
The earlier chocolate mochi product sold 130,000 units within two months of its debut.

Korea's convenience store chains are locked in a quiet rivalry over dessert lineups. GS25, run by GS Retail, is pushing a modernized take on traditional Korean sweets, while 7-Eleven, operated by Korea Seven, is leaning on snacks popular in Japan — and the shelf-space competition is heating up.

GS25 announced on September 3 that it's the first convenience store chain to launch a yogurt rice cake, made in partnership with a dessert brand that started on the café-lined streets of Seoul's Seongsu-dong and a specialty manufacturer. The brand has drawn long lines at food halls in Shinsegae, Hyundai and Lotte department stores, and is considered a must-visit stop for foreign tourists in Korea. The new product is sold frozen and priced at 3,900 won (about $2.90).

A pre-launch trial run also drew buzz. At a store in Seoul's Gangnam office district, workers lined up on their lunch break, while travelers stopped by a store at an international airport terminal before their flights. The combined stock at both locations sold out within 15 minutes of going on sale.

Around the same time, 7-Eleven revamped its chocolate-coated mochi lineup. It added a summer-limited shine muscat tart flavor and a late-summer sweet potato flavor to its existing injeolmi and chocolate options, bringing the total to four varieties. The series debuted last year and became a steady seller, moving more than 130,000 units within about two months of launch.

Behind the rivalry lies a sense of urgency: with more than 53,000 convenience stores now open nationwide, growth from simply opening new locations has stalled. Industry watchers say chains increasingly need exclusive products that draw customers to specific stores. That logic was reinforced earlier when GS25's bread series, made in partnership with a publisher and themed around world literature, sold 200,000 units in just a week.

In Korea right nowPhotos and reviews of the lines forming for the new rice cake are spreading quickly on social media. With a trend of young people in their 20s and 30s touring famous rice cake shops already underway, many are excited to now find the treat easily at convenience stores. At the same time, the new Japanese-style mochi flavors — familiar since childhood for many — are drawing attention, with posts comparing the two products popping up online.

FAQ

Can I buy the new rice cake at other convenience stores?

No. GS25 has an exclusive deal with the dessert brand and manufacturer, so it's only sold at GS25.

What are 7-Eleven's new mochi flavors?

7-Eleven expanded its lineup to four flavors, adding shine muscat tart and sweet potato to its existing injeolmi and chocolate options.

Why are convenience stores competing so hard on desserts?

With the number of stores nationwide reaching a saturation point, growth from new locations alone has become difficult, so chains are turning to store-exclusive products to draw in customers.