Hanwha-backed Premium Ice Cream Brand Benson Targets Rapid Expansion to 100 South Korean Locations by 2027
POCHEON, Gyeonggi Province — In South Korea’s highly competitive frozen dessert market, Benson, the premium ice cream brand from Hanwha Galleria subsidiary Better Scoop Creamery, is redefining quality. Benson champions a superior ice cream experience, focusing on an abundance of real dairy and minimal additives.
This commitment sets Benson apart from what the company identifies as the often “watered-down” and “powder-based” ice cream formulations prevalent across many South Korean freezer aisles. Benson aims to elevate the standard for gourmet ice cream in the region.
Benson’s vanilla ice cream exemplifies its dedication to premium quality. Boasting an impressive 17 percent butterfat content, it significantly surpasses the low-teens typical of many market offerings. Furthermore, the air content is meticulously controlled to just 40 percent of the original liquid mix volume – a stark contrast to the 100 percent often found in competitor products. This precise formulation results in a remarkably denser, richer, and more satisfying scoop, achieved with minimal additives, delivering an authentic taste profile.
“Many products currently on Korean shelves are marketed as milk-based ice cream, yet consumers are often unknowingly consuming formulations primarily composed of water mixed with powdered milk,” stated Yoon Jin-ho, CEO of Better Scoop Creamery. Speaking at a recent media tour commemorating the brand’s first anniversary, Yoon emphasized Benson’s mission: “Our goal was to craft a product that delivers overwhelmingly superior taste and unparalleled quality, setting a new benchmark for premium dairy ice cream.”
Yoon draws a parallel between Benson’s current trajectory and Korea’s significant coffee transformation. He recalls how consumer preferences matured, shifting from instant powdered coffee mixes to sophisticated espresso beverages made with fresh milk. Yoon firmly believes that Benson is perfectly positioned to spearhead a similar premiumization and taste evolution within the South Korean ice cream market, guiding consumers towards a more authentic and higher-quality dairy experience.
Benson’s vision for a genuinely superior dairy taste is brought to life within its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. Here, raw milk flows through advanced sterilization lines via stainless steel pipes, while precision robotic arms expertly seal containers and meticulously stack boxes.
The production process at the Pocheon factory unfolds in carefully orchestrated, segmented stages, ensuring unparalleled quality from the very first step. In a specialized chilled mixing room, premium raw milk and fresh cream are expertly blended, then meticulously aged for a minimum of 36 hours.
As facility director Nam explains, “Given our high butterfat levels, around 17 percent, the mix requires this extensive aging period. Without at least 36 hours, the emulsion could become unstable. This critical step ensures the perfect consistency and quality before progressing to subsequent stages.”
Following the crucial aging process, the mix proceeds through precise flavoring, advanced freezing, secure packaging, and rigorous quality control protocols before being optimally stored and efficiently shipped to locations across South Korea.
Three cutting-edge robots seamlessly integrate into various points along Benson’s production line, significantly enhancing efficiency and consistency. Notably, a collaborative robot supplied by Hanwha Robotics expertly fills 10-liter tubs, operating safely alongside human employees – a testament to its advanced optical sensor guidance, which eliminates the need for restrictive barriers. Two additional robots efficiently manage the packaging and boxing stages, further streamlining operations.
“Integrating robotics into our core production processes has allowed us to optimize staffing, reducing personnel requirements to approximately 50 to 60 percent compared to a factory of similar operational scale,” explained Director Nam. He further elaborated, “Despite the initial higher investment in advanced automation, our strategic focus was firmly placed on leveraging this technology to achieve unparalleled quality standardization and significantly sharpen overall operational efficiency. This investment ensures consistent premium quality in every batch of Benson ice cream.”
Operating a single daytime shift within its expansive 3,300-square-meter facility, the Benson factory demonstrates impressive production capabilities. It efficiently churns out approximately 600 to 700 10-liter tubs daily, in addition to up to 21,000 cups and pints. This robust production capacity is already sufficient to supply as many as 100 stores, even without further factory expansion, signaling Benson’s readiness for significant market penetration.
Benson is actively working to leverage this substantial capacity as it aggressively expands its footprint across South Korea. Just one year after launching its inaugural flagship store in Seoul’s upscale Apgujeong neighborhood, the brand has already established 15 prime locations. Ambitious growth projections anticipate over 20 stores by July, reaching 30 by year-end, and a remarkable 100 locations across the country by 2027, solidifying Benson’s presence in the premium ice cream sector.
“During our inaugural year, our primary focus was strategic expansion into high-traffic retail environments such as premium malls and department stores. This allowed us to rigorously test and confirm the product’s competitiveness within the South Korean market,” explained CEO Yoon. He proudly noted that Benson has successfully moved beyond this initial testing phase, having further refined and considerably enhanced its taste and quality profiles based on consumer feedback and ongoing innovation.
As Benson embarks on this significant new phase of nationwide expansion, the brand firmly reiterates its unwavering philosophy: a steadfast commitment to genuine, authentic flavor and unparalleled quality, prioritizing these core values over fleeting market trends or fads. This dedication is central to Benson’s identity and its appeal to discerning consumers.
An official from Benson’s dedicated research and development team emphasized this principle: “Our objective is not to chase ephemeral trends at the expense of our unwavering commitment to quality.” They further elaborated that constantly reacting to every passing fad would, by nature, inevitably lead to compromises in product integrity and the consistent premium experience Benson strives to deliver.
