'Jipbapjok' Enjoy Frozen Snacks with Air Fryers Amid COVID-19

Frozen Hot Dog Market Size Expected to Surpass 100 Billion Won
Shinsegae Food, CJ CheilJedang, Ourhome Expand Air Fryer Exclusive Product Lines

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] As the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of 'home meal enthusiasts,' demand for convenient snacks such as frozen hot dogs and chicken that can be easily cooked is rising. Accordingly, food companies are continuously launching home meal replacement (HMR) products specifically for air fryers and expanding their lineups.

On the 25th, Shinsegae Food announced that cumulative sales of frozen hot dog HMR products such as ‘Olban Chal Hot Dog,’ ‘Olban Mozza Cheddar Chal Hot Dog,’ and ‘Olban Crunchy Chal Hot Dog’ from January to October this year increased by 47% compared to the same period last year. According to Nielsen Korea, the domestic frozen hot dog market size has steadily grown from 39.5 billion KRW in 2016, 53.1 billion KRW in 2017, 59.4 billion KRW in 2018, to 81.3 billion KRW last year. This year, the industry predicts it will exceed 100 billion KRW due to the expanded spread of air fryers and the impact of COVID-19.

In response, Shinsegae Food launched a new product, ‘Olban BIG Cheese Kok Kok Chal Hot Dog,’ to continue the popularity of frozen hot dog HMRs and target the market.

The Olban BIG Cheese Kok Kok Chal Hot Dog is a premium product featuring a chewy hot dog bun made with glutinous rice and a sausage embedded with cheddar cheese bits to enhance its savory flavor. Notably, the sausage made from domestic pork has been increased by 33% in weight compared to the company’s previous products, providing a richer texture and satisfying fullness.

To enjoy a crispy outside and chewy inside hot dog, remove the packaging completely from the frozen hot dog and heat it in the microwave for about 1 minute, or set the air fryer to 180 ℃ and cook for 14 minutes.

In the case of CJ CheilJedang, air fryer cooking instructions have been included on the packaging of frozen HMR products. Sales of frozen convenience foods (excluding dumplings) in the first half of this year reached approximately 190 billion KRW, growing more than 10% compared to the same period last year. In particular, frying snacks such as ‘Gourmet Hot Dog,’ ‘Gourmet Donkatsu,’ and ‘Gourmet Chicken,’ which are cooked using air fryers, have gained popularity and expanded frozen convenience food sales.

In the second half of this year, the frying snack portfolio was strengthened. To target the chicken category, which holds the largest sales share within the frying market, ‘Gourmet Crispy Seasoned Chicken’ was introduced. This is the first time in the industry that a processed food product of seasoned chicken has been launched.

According to Ourhome, since launching air fryer-specific products last year, sales have been growing rapidly at an average rate of about 35% per month. In July, Ourhome expanded its product range by releasing new frozen bakery items such as ‘Home Cafe Croissant,’ ‘Home Cafe Cinnamon Roll,’ and ‘Home Cafe Maple Pecan.’