Shinsegae Food's JRilla getting a bakery chain with outer-space theme

JRilla featured in a marketing poster for Universe by JRilla. [SHINSEGAE FOOD]

JRilla, a gorilla character born on Mars that loves to cook, is getting his own bakery chain.

Universe by JRilla will be opened at SSG Food Market in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, on Nov. 11, Shinsegae Food said in a statement.

It will be an outer space-themed bakery.

The JRilla character is trademarked by Shinsegae Food and was introduced to the public in April. Retailers have been focusing on character-based businesses as a marketing strategy, following on the success of Kakao’s Ryan the maneless lion.

JRilla’s bakeries connect with the mascot’s backstory, with spaceship interiors and fantasy-like videos playing on large digital screens.

Baked goods and other items sold at the bakery will adhere to the space theme. Aurora Bagels will have a swirl of various colors to look like the aurora borealis, or the northern lights. Mercury Crush, a mousse cake, will resemble the planet Mercury.

“We created Universe by JRilla by combining visual experience and unique tastes, two factors customers highly value,” said a spokesperson for Shinsegae Food.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]