Driven by the Popularity of Protein Bars and Drinks, Sales Grew 21% Last Year
Expanding from Confectionery Brand to Food Category... Functional Labeling Food Brand
[Asia Economy, reporter Lee Seonae] On January 14, Orion announced that it will relaunch its nutrition-focused brand “Dr. You” as a “functional labeling food brand” by incorporating functional ingredients, marking its second leap forward in 2021. The company plans to expand the image of Dr. You from “snack” to “food,” and strengthen its “nutrition design” concept by emphasizing its status as a “functional labeling food.” This strategy aims to proactively target the current global environment, where interest in health is high due to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, among other factors.
Last year, Dr. You achieved sales of 46.5 billion won, up 21% from the previous year, driven by the popularity of new products such as the protein bar and Dr. You Drink Protein. In particular, the protein bar recorded sales of 19 billion won, stabilizing at an average of 1.5 billion won per month. Dr. You Drink, launched in June 2020, also posted sales of approximately 4 billion won, demonstrating the potential of beverage products focused on nutritional content.
This year, Orion plans to redefine the Dr. You brand identity under the theme of “Delicious Health.” Since December 29, 2020, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has allowed general foods to display functional claims if supported by scientific evidence, through the implementation of the “General Food Functional Labeling System.” Orion intends to actively leverage this policy by introducing a diverse lineup of Dr. You products with functional ingredients tailored to Korean consumers, while continuing to focus on its core strength of “delivering great taste.” In addition to existing nutrition bars and beverages, the company also plans to diversify product formats to include jellies and chocolates.
Dr. You was launched in 2008 with a focus on “nutrition balance” by supplementing insufficient nutrients. The brand has become well-established, with cumulative sales exceeding 500 billion won. In particular, the “Dr. You Protein Bar,” launched in 2019, became a leading product in the so-called “dumbbell economy” (a term describing spending on health and fitness), gaining popularity among home workout enthusiasts for its convenient 12g of protein-equivalent to two eggs. In June 2020, Orion expanded into beverages by launching “Dr. You Drink,” which allows consumers to easily supplement protein simply by drinking. In July, the Dr. You brand entered the Chinese market, launching the “Dr. You Protein Bar” (Chinese name: Dr. You Protein Nut Bar “蛋白?果棒”) and the “Dr. You Energy Bar” (Chinese name: Dr. You Energy Nut Bar “能量?果棒”), thereby actively pioneering the nutrition bar market in China.
An Orion representative stated, “2021 will be the inaugural year for Dr. You to move beyond its image as a confectionery brand and become a functional labeling food brand. We will actively target global consumers in Korea, China, and beyond, through Dr. You’s distinct brand identity of ‘delicious health’-which captures both taste and nutrition-and a diverse product lineup.”
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