I set an app alarm to buy the famous leftover bread at a bakery in Seongsu, but as soon as the alarm went off, it sold out right away. I'm determined to succeed next time.
Recently, among the 2030 generation, an 'savings app' that allows users to purchase remaining products at discounted prices has gained popularity. It reduces price burdens while contributing to environmental protection by simultaneously decreasing food waste, leading to positive responses.
Office worker Kim (33) said, 'I'm satisfied that I can buy leftover bread cheaply at a famous bakery after work.'
A representative app is 'Lucky Meal.' This app offers food that was produced on the same day at about 50% off and provides information on nearby restaurants. When users reserve a 'lucky bag,' they can randomly purchase leftover food. Various items, including bread, poke, and tteokbokki, are registered, but it is often used especially for buying bread.
Popular bakeries located in areas such as Seongsu and Mapo are sold out as soon as they are registered in the app due to high demand. Consequently, a new term 'lucketing' (Lucky Meal + ticketing) has emerged among users.
Monandol Company, which operates Lucky Meal, has seen rapid growth since its establishment in May 2024. Within just one year, it surpassed 100,000 cumulative users. As of March, the number of orders increased by 238% compared to the previous month, and gross profit also rose by 191%. The 2030 generation accounts for 69.6% of all users, establishing itself as a major customer base.
The platform 'Uglyus,' which sells unattractive agricultural products that were nearly discarded at low prices, is also attracting attention among the 2030 generation. It provides agricultural products that were not distributed due to their shapes or sizes not meeting certain standards at affordable prices, simultaneously capturing both environmental protection and household savings.
'Uglyus' is a service that supplies irregularly shaped agricultural products from farms across the country, packaging them in small portions for regular delivery. These products are offered at about 30% lower prices than regular agricultural products of the same quality, allowing consumers to easily order through a mobile app.
College student Kim (22) stated, 'I gave up buying four apples at the supermarket because it cost more than 10,000 won,' and added, 'I'm satisfied that I can purchase the same tasting unattractive agricultural products at a much more reasonable price, just with different shapes.'
Established in February 2021, Uglyus has shown consistent growth each year. In the previous year (2024), it recorded sales of 12.17 billion won, an increase of 49% compared to the previous year. Reducing distribution stages to secure price competitiveness has been cited as a factor in its success.
Han Yu-jin, a professor of Entrepreneurship at Sookmyung Women's University, explained, 'By securing ingredients that would be discarded at low costs and offering them at reasonable prices, startups can realize profitability, making it an attractive business model.'
The popularity of savings apps is linked to high inflation and economic recession.
Lee Eun-hee, a professor of Consumer Science at Inha University, noted, 'Due to continuous price rises and low employment rates, more young people are trying to save on expenses for necessities.' She added, 'The 2030 generation shows a tendency to prefer these apps because they're interested in realizing social values through 'fair consumption' beyond mere savings.'