Ice cream chains compete for scoops with size-up deals and brand tie-ups

At a Baskin-Robbins store in Seoul on Tuesday, tapping the kiosk screen to place an order brought up a promotion notice: "DOUBLE UP!" The size-upgrade benefit — once reserved as a gift on the 31st of each month — has now been extended to customers buying the flavor of the month.

At a Benson store, a promotional poster on the wall caught the eye: order the new lemon cream cheese cake flavor and get an extra scoop. The mint chocolate and cookie flavor was tempting, but the lemon cream cheese cake won out.

Competition for customers in the ice cream market has intensified, industry sources said Wednesday, as challengers Benson and Van Leeuwen move in on the long-dominant Baskin-Robbins. Brands are rolling out free extra scoops with new flavors and launching collaboration products to win over customers.

Baskin-Robbins is running a promotion this month that lets customers upgrade from a single regular to a double junior for an additional 500 won when they buy the flavor of the month. The offer is separate from the size-upgrade benefit previously available only on the 31st of each month.

Benson has also leaned into size upgrades. It launched a size-upgrade promotion alongside its lemon cream cheese cake last month, and this month is offering a free upgrade from single to double size with any single order of its new tiramisu ice cream.

Van Leeuwen, which made its Korean debut in July, has been running scoop promotions since opening. Starting Monday, it has been offering a buy-two-get-one deal on pint-size and larger products.

Beyond the scoop wars, brands are competing on promotions to draw foot traffic. Collaborations have been a key tool. Baskin-Robbins has continued its run of character tie-ups, partnering this month with Japanese character Monchhichi to offer exclusive cups with ice cream or Americano purchases. Some stores have sold out their allocated stock quickly.

Benson has set itself apart through alcohol pairings. Its recently opened Itaewon location offers pairing menus combining ice cream with Won Soju and premium whiskies including Balvenie and Dalmore. The brand has also collaborated with outdoor gear label Helinox to release merchandise.

In terms of store count, however, the gap remains wide. Baskin-Robbins, which has operated in Korea since 1985, ran 1,747 locations nationwide as of late 2024. Benson currently operates 23 stores, while Van Leeuwen has three — at Gangnam Station, Shinsegae Gangnam and Sinnonhyeon Station.

The challengers are moving quickly to close the gap. Benson grew from eight stores last year to 23 this year and plans to surpass 30 by year's end, with a target of opening its 100th location next year.

In terms of revenue, BRL Korea — which operates both Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin' — posted sales of 707.5 billion won ($523 million) last year. Its operating loss narrowed to 5.6 billion won from 9.8 billion won the previous year. Better Scoop Creamery, which operates Benson, recorded sales of 4.3 billion won and an operating loss of 9.5 billion won last year. Despite losses from aggressive expansion, the company expects to reach breakeven at around 100 stores.

"As new brands continue to enter the ice cream market, competition to secure consumer touchpoints is likely to intensify further," an industry official said. "We expect brands to keep trying to attract customers through a range of approaches — not just price and portion size, but also collaborations and new products."