Korea’s Fried Chicken Prices Rise But Chicken Is Cheap

Article from SBS News:

As the number of chicken consumers goes down, the price of chicken is steadily falling. The producer price for 1 kg of chicken is 1,431 won – a 2.2% decrease since one year ago. When comparing the average price over the span of 5 years from 2010 to 2014, it has fallen around 24%, and is projected to fall even lower to 1,200 won next month.

Yet, as the price of chicken continues to fall, the price of fried chicken continues to go up. Why is this?

For more on the story, we will go to Reporter Eom Min-jae.

The chicken being sold here in supermarkets is being sold for a lower price than it was last year.

Supermarket employee Ahn Jeong-gong: “The chicken prices are being sold for 5-8% less than they were at the same time last year.”

However, the price of fried chicken, which uses chicken as a [main] ingredient, continues to rise.

The street price for fried chicken is nearly 20,000 won, and when sauces are added it exceeds even that.

Results of a study show that over the past 10 years, chicken prices have risen 25%, while fried chicken prices have risen 45%.

Manufacturers say the price of chicken does not have an influence over the price of fried chicken.

Fried chicken restaurant owner: “You are only thinking about the price of chicken. But that doesn’t make much of a difference.”

For one whole fried chicken, the chicken costs make up 20% of the total price. 80% of the costs come from other ingredients, wages, and maintaining the restaurant.

Since the high price of fried chicken leads to a reduction in consumer demand, poultry farmers have asked chicken restaurants to lower their prices.

Korean Poultry Association managing director, Hwang Il-soo: “Consumers will have a hard time accepting that fried chicken prices have risen so much over such a short period of time.”

Even as the price of chicken falls next month, it will be hard to find a fried chicken restaurant that will reduce its prices.

Comments from Naver :

seoo****

Nationally overrated BBQ [Chicken] 10 characters

dbsg****

A while back it was just 9,000 won and now it’s gotten almost twice as expensive..

chfh****

Chickens can’t fly high compared to the fried chicken who reaches new heights

kkk8****

This flavor is us living in Joseon hell. [‘Joseon Hell’ refers to Korea in a depreciative way.]

lllo****

Mr. Chicken.. you’re expensive but I keep thinking about you ㅠㅠ

ktg8****

Get rid of some of those celebrity endorsements. Are they supposed to guarantee the chicken tastes good?

bles****

Chicken [from the store] is only a little over 1,000 won, but at a franchise restaurant it’s 20,000… someone please explain

manl****

Isn’t it just the Korean price of goods? If it goes up, nobody expects it to go down.

newa****

If the price of chicken goes down, they say it’s not a big enough of a change from the original price. But if it goes up, they say it’s risen so much that raising prices [of fried chicken] is inevitable.

stea****

BBQ [a fried chicken franchise] seems so fucking expensive

toms****

Because you guys are like “Oh Godly Chicken, Godly Chicken”, they always raise the prices ㅠㅠ let’s just keep our worship reasonable

youn****

Fried chicken is so expensive these days… Consumers say Godly Chicken Godly Chicken and they just raise the prices but there’s still a lot of demand?

We believe in Mr. Chicken

We believe in Mr. Chicken

eogu****

Yet again, they will say real estate and oil prices etc. do this… chicken got cheaper but fried chicken doesn’t want to

zong****

This doesn’t make any sense. Let’s boycott NeNe Chicken.

kenn****

Large franchise royalties and real estate prices… ingredients and part-time employee salaries are not a factor.

tarz****

Let’s try to eat cheaply please! ke

a839****

Fried chicken is expensive, so expensive really expensive

adio****

The economy isn’t good but still the fried chicken companies are busy raising their prices. Stop making up these new gross fried chicken [flavors] and just perfect the original.

turn****

If it keeps going on like this neighborhood fried chicken places will lose business and won’t be able to earn a living ! Franchises are like the more the better.. and stop sneaking around!

lkms****

I cannot understand why fried chicken brands need to use famous celebrities in their advertisements. It doesn’t even make up 1% of my decision when choosing a fried chicken place. I just order fried chicken because I crave it that day. I love Yoo Jae-seok but I have never ordered from NeNe Chicken. I like Lee Min-ho but I’ve never ordered from Kyochon Chicken.

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