The 2025 professional baseball season kicked off with a bang as approximately 220,000 spectators flooded the stands during its opening weekend, setting a new attendance record for the first two days of games. With 10 matchups played from March 22 to March 23, 2025, the total number of attendees exceeded the previous record of 214,324 set in 2019.
In tandem with the exciting start to the season, the food industry in South Korea has joined forces with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association to launch a series of baseball-themed products. This trend continues from last year, where various brands sought to capture the interest of baseball fans through character collaborations.
On March 20, just two days before the season began, SPC Samlip unveiled its 'KBO Bread' line, comprising 10 varieties. This product features unique collectible stickers inside each packaging, representing players and mascots from nine of the ten affiliated teams, excluding the Lotte Giants. Remarkably, within just three days, KBO Bread has become a hit, amassing sales exceeding one million units, marking the fastest sell-through rate for any new product by Samlip.
Additional culinary initiatives mirrored this enthusiasm. On March 21, Woongjin Foods introduced its own product—'Haneul Bori KBO Edition'. This limited-edition barley drink adorned the labels and packaging with logos and mascots from the same nine teams that participated in the KBO Bread line. Furthermore, Woongjin has engaged fans through an online promotion, offering free game tickets with purchases of the new drink, generating significant buzz among consumers.
Not to be outdone, Yeonsei Dairy has also gotten in on the action by catering specifically to Doosan Bears supporters. Launching 'Yeonsei Milk Moksam Cream Bread' in convenience stores on March 18, the product pays homage to the loyal Baians (Doosan fans). In merely six days on the shelves, the cream bread has sold 120,000 units—a clear testament to the robust appetite for themed baseball products.
Despite this visible excitement from various brands, the Lotte Giants have notably refrained from joining in product collaborations with food companies. This absence has raised questions among fans who are eager to engage with team-specific merchandise. The Giants’ omission from initiatives like 'KBO Bread' and 'Haneul Bori KBO Edition' has prompted discussions about potential conflicts within the Lotte Group, which encompasses competing food subsidiaries including Lotte Wellfood and Lotte Chilsung Beverage.
While the food companies have pursued merrily ahead with their strategies, comments from industry stakeholders suggest Lotte’s reluctance to partner hinges on internal group dynamics. A spokesperson from Hae Tae Foods noted that when KBO reached out for collaboration with Lotte, the team declined to participate, likely due to competition concerns with its affiliates.
Moreover, similar sentiments were echoed by representatives from Woongjin Foods, revealing that Lotte was not included in their promotional efforts either, underscoring the perceived barriers to collaboration within the Lotte Group. A representative mentioned, “Lotte’s absence from the collaborative products suggests they are either not being approached for participation or not expressing interest.”
This internal competition has forced Lotte Giants aficionados to miss out on the collaborative fervor enjoyed by fans of the other nine teams. There is speculation that Lotte Giants fans feel slighted as they watch neighboring brands thrive within the marketplace while they wait for their franchise to produce any form of themed merchandise.
Addressing the matter, a member of the Lotte Giants’ team remarked, “As of now, we do not have any concrete plans to collaborate with either Lotte Wellfood or Lotte Chilsung on new products.” This level of uncertainty remains a source of disappointment for many loyal fans waiting to see if their team will embrace collaborative opportunities in the future.
The challenges mark a stark contrast against the backdrop of a record-setting season thus far. The KBO has seen impressive attendance numbers at the newly initialized season, signaling a favorable outlook for the rest of the year. The enthusiasm from fans spills over into the sales of food products as the league aims to attract an audience of 10 million over the entire season.
As the KBO season progresses, it remains to be seen if the Lotte Giants will reconsider their alignment with food companies or continue their absence, while fans hope to see a shift that embraces the collaborative spirit experienced by their fellow teams.
