Orion's 'Cham Bungeoppang' Enjoyed Both Summer and Winter Demand... Last Year's Cumulative Sales Increased by 13%

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] Orion announced on the 28th that its ‘Cham Bungeoppang’ succeeded in targeting both the summer and winter seasons last year, resulting in a cumulative sales increase of about 13% compared to the previous year.

Cham Bungeoppang is a mass-produced snack that reimagines the traditional winter snack, Bungeoppang, so it can be enjoyed year-round. Although it is known as a traditional winter snack, it enjoyed a special demand last summer as the number of Chinese tourists visiting Korea increased again. In China, fish symbolize ‘wealth (bu)’, and combined with the unique chewy texture and sweet taste that blend bread and rice cake, the storytelling of ‘wealth’ has made it very popular among Chinese consumers as gifts for family or acquaintances.

With the existing brand power as a representative winter snack, sales in December last year also increased by about 17% compared to the same period the previous year. To actively target overseas tourists, Orion launched a large 12-piece product in addition to the existing 6-piece and 8-piece products. The large-size product received great responses as snacks for year-end events at daycare centers, kindergartens, and elementary schools, supporting growth. Since November last year, doubling the amount of rice cake to further enhance the chewy texture also played a key role in sales growth.

An Orion official said, “Cham Bungeoppang achieved good results by gaining popularity among both overseas tourists and domestic consumers throughout the past year,” adding, “Since sales started locally in China in the fourth quarter of last year, we will continue to develop Cham Bungeoppang into a global brand.”