The CEO's Daughter Sang 'Arikkang' and Added Shrimp to Make 'Saewookkang'... Five Real Shrimps Plopped In

‘Nongshim Saewookkang’ Soars on Meme Craze
30% Sales Increase in the Past Month
Unmatched Taste...Renewal Enhancements

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] One Shrimp Cracker a Day. Along with the nationwide craze for ‘Kkang,’ the country’s first snack, Shrimp Cracker, is making headlines. On social networking services (SNS), photos certifying Shrimp Cracker purchases are being posted daily with hashtags like #OneShrimpCrackerADay and #PostMealShrimpCracker. Especially after selecting singer Rain, who sparked the Kkang craze, as the model, Shrimp Cracker achieved a remarkable 7 billion KRW in sales over the past month, a 30% increase compared to the previous year. Nongshim announced that Shrimp Cracker naturally became a meme and, in response to the craze, will hold the ‘Homebound Shrimp Cracker Challenge #MyWayOneShrimpCrackerADay’ until the 15th.

According to Nongshim on the 4th, Shrimp Cracker, which is receiving more love and attention than ever, is a national snack that has been steadily loved for 49 years since its launch. Children who enjoyed Shrimp Cracker in the 1970s and 80s have now become parents and enjoy Shrimp Cracker with their children. Shrimp Cracker has become a snack enjoyed by all generations, from grandfathers and grandmothers to children, known as the national snack, national side dish, and national food. Currently, Shrimp Cracker leads the snack market with annual sales of about 70 billion KRW. What is the reason Shrimp Cracker is so beloved by the entire nation? Nongshim revealed that the three charms of Shrimp Cracker lie hidden in its taste.

◆Real Shrimp in Shrimp Cracker= In 1971, when Nongshim embarked on developing the country’s first snack, they decided to use shrimp, which is delicious and rich in calcium, as the main ingredient. The product development concept was to capture the savory taste of Korean favorite grilled shrimp with salt. They predicted that the savory and salty taste would be enjoyed by all ages without getting tired of it or going out of fashion.

Nongshim chose the method of grinding real shrimp to maximize the shrimp’s taste and aroma. In fact, one bag (90g) of Shrimp Cracker contains 4 to 5 shrimps measuring 5 to 7 cm. This is the secret behind Shrimp Cracker’s unique savory shrimp flavor. Nongshim insists on using only the highest quality shrimp to preserve this taste.

◆Baked in Salt, Not Fried in Oil= Another secret lies in the method of making Shrimp Cracker. While most snacks are fried in oil, Nongshim makes Shrimp Cracker by baking it in heated salt to achieve optimal taste and texture. This method allows the snack to be non-greasy, moderately puffed, and to have its characteristic crispy texture.

The reason it took so long to develop the product was that Nongshim independently developed this method through countless experiments. After overcoming numerous trials and errors, the completed Shrimp Cracker could distinguish itself from imitations released later. Although other companies’ products looked similar, they could not match the clean, crispy taste and quality unique to Shrimp Cracker baked in salt.

◆‘The Country’s First Snack’ Developed After a Year of All-Night Research= When Shrimp Cracker was launched in 1971, confectionery companies mainly produced biscuits, candies, and hardtack, and snacks as we know them today did not exist. Nongshim judged that if they made a snack that anyone from children to the elderly could easily eat, it would have a high chance of success, and thus embarked on developing the country’s first snack.

Starting from scratch, they faced numerous trials and errors. Nongshim researchers devoted themselves to research, staying up all night for a year. The amount of flour used in development was equivalent to about 80 trucks carrying 45,000 tons. Considering the economic situation in the early 1970s, this was an enormous amount. The reason so much flour was used was that during the prototype process, the frying temperature was not appropriate, causing repeated burning, and hundreds of experiments were conducted to maintain the ideal texture for eating.

The brand name Shrimp Cracker, which gave consumers a friendly image, was inspired by the young daughter of Nongshim’s then-president Shin Chun-ho, who mispronounced ‘Arirang’ as ‘Arikkang.’ Various names such as Shrimp Snack, Shrimp Puff, and Shrimp Rice Puff were considered, but none felt quite right. Taking ‘Ari’ from the mispronounced ‘Arikkang’ and adding ‘Shrimp’ surprisingly fit well. President Shin combined ‘Shrimp’ and ‘Kkang’ to name it Shrimp Cracker.

Once introduced to the world, Shrimp Cracker sold rapidly. At the time, trucks from provinces lined up at the Daebang-dong factory in Seoul to pick up goods. The first-year production volume was 206,000 boxes, but the following year it increased more than 20 times to 4.25 million boxes.

◆Shrimp Cracker’s New Look= Another reason Shrimp Cracker continues to be loved is that it has not settled for the status quo but has evolved with trends. Nongshim recently gave Shrimp Cracker a new look, giving it a younger image.

The new package design retains the orange color representing shrimp and the luxurious gold background but expresses the shrimp image, the core identity of Shrimp Cracker, larger and more appetizing. The phrase ‘Snack baked, not fried’ is printed on the front to emphasize Shrimp Cracker’s unique clean taste.

This design renewal was the first in six years. Nongshim has maintained a young and sophisticated image by changing Shrimp Cracker’s package design about ten times over the years. They have also improved the taste, keeping ‘the more delicious Shrimp Cracker’ close to us.