“Is it an unsweetened era for chicken, too?”

As health trends such as low sugar, unsweetened, and zero-sugar have spread recently, an unsweetened smoked chicken product has even been introduced.

Lotte Mart announced on the 3rd that it will launch an unsweetened smoked chicken targeting summer demand for high-protein ready-to-eat meals.

According to Lotte Mart, the ‘Unsweetened Chicken Smoked Slices (400g)’ contains no sugars or alternative sweeteners. With 16g of protein per 100g and at 140㎈, it helps consumers look after their health without burden. Rather than excessive sweetness or strong seasoning, it offers a subtle smoky aroma and the inherent nutty, tender texture of chicken, with savoriness that deepens the more you chew.

From today through the 10th, Lotte Mart is running a 1+1 buy-one-get-one event for the new product. The price is 10,900 KRW.

The low-sugar trend has been spreading rapidly from its early focus on beverages to the broader diet in recent times, including whole grains and meat. In fact, sales of low-sugar, unsweetened, and zero-sugar items within Lotte Mart’s fresh-food categories such as grains and meat have posted strong growth for three consecutive years, up 91% in 2023, 150% in 2024, and 247% in 2025 year-on-year. The number of items handled (SKU) also increased by 25%, 41%, and 57%, respectively, over the same period.

Lotte Mart is actively pursuing new product development in line with the low-sugar trend. Last year, it introduced three meat products, including ‘Zero Sugar Marinated Bulgogi’, for the first time among offline distribution channels and gained popularity. The ‘Zero-Sugar Smoked Duck Slices’ launched last year sold as many as 100,000 units as a single product.

A Lotte Mart representative said, “Ahead of the sweltering summer, we have released a product that removes sugars and alternative sweeteners entirely so that protein can be supplemented without burden, highlighting the natural mild taste of chicken,” adding, “We plan to strengthen our low-sugar and unsweetened meat lineup.”