Lotte Chilsung Ssakssek Celebrates 40th Anniversary Since Launch

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] Lotte Chilsung Beverage announced on the 29th that the granulated juice drink ‘Ssaek Ssaek’ has turned forty this year.

Launched in December 1980, Ssaek Ssaek caused a sensation in the domestic juice drink market and demonstrated its staying power as a long-lasting brand by selling about 5.8 million cans last year. Among Lotte Chilsung Beverage’s drink brands, Ssaek Ssaek is the fifth long-lasting brand that has been steadily sold after Chilsung Cider, Pepsi Cola, Mirinda, and Lotte Orange Juice.

The secret to Ssaek Ssaek’s longevity is its ‘differentiated texture.’ At the time of its launch, the refreshing ‘pop’ of the granules in the mouth and the tangy orange flavor gave consumers the feeling of chewing fresh oranges, receiving great response. Ssaek Ssaek became known as the representative fruit granule drink and gained popularity as a healthy image drink containing granules and vitamin C, making it a popular gift for housewarmings or hospital visits at the time.

Since its launch, Ssaek Ssaek has diversified its product line with grape and Jeju tangerine flavors in response to market changes. In 2018, it quickly responded to consumer trends favoring chewy textures by replacing the existing tangerine granules with coconut jelly, capturing the hearts of young consumers as well.

Ssaek Ssaek’s advertisements also attracted attention. The catchy CM song starting with ‘Shabarabara’ and the cute animated character performing a Hawaiian dance firmly imprinted the Ssaek Ssaek brand in consumers’ memories. The advertisement won the radio category award at the 1985 International Clio Awards and ranked joint third in the ‘Most Memorable TV Commercials over 20 Years (1978?1997)’ announced by the Korea Research and Development Institute in 1998.

Ssaek Ssaek is also gaining popularity overseas. The initial shipment exported to the Middle East in 1981 sold out within 10 days, confirming its global competitiveness, and exports later expanded to about ten countries including the United States and Singapore. Currently, Ssaek Ssaek is exported to more than 20 countries overseas, including the United States, Russia, Germany, Japan, and China.

A Lotte Chilsung Beverage official said, “Ssaek Ssaek, a long-lasting brand loved by consumers for 40 years, is the epitome of a juice brand that provides enjoyment in drinking and chewing,” adding, “We will continue various attempts to revitalize the brand while maintaining the differentiated strengths unique to Ssaek Ssaek.”