[Easy Meal] Anju's Escape

Ready-to-eat Side Dish Market to Grow to 150 Billion KRW This Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] As the COVID-19 pandemic prolonged, the number of ‘home drinking’ and ‘solo drinking’ enthusiasts increased, leading to the growth of the home snack ready-meal market. This is because menus that were difficult to prepare and eat at home can now be easily enjoyed with simple cooking. Accordingly, companies are launching various products to attract consumers.

Snack Market Booms with Increase in Home Drinkers

According to the food and beverage industry, the size of the ready-meal snack market reached 100 billion KRW last year, growing fivefold compared to 19.6 billion KRW in 2016, four years earlier. This year, it is expected to expand to 150 billion KRW due to the continuation of remote work and the increase in home drinkers.

The pioneer in the ready-meal snack market is Daesang. Daesang’s Cheongjeongwon launched the home meal replacement brand Anjuya (夜) in July 2016, releasing three types of Nonhyeon-dong pojangmacha-style snacks: boneless chicken feet, spicy beef large intestines, and spicy pork skin. Anjuya rapidly grew, achieving sales of 47.4 billion KRW within two years of its launch and has maintained stable performance since. The product lineup is also diversifying. Last year, Cheongjeongwon launched the Anjuya Home Pub line, introducing five types of fried snacks such as ‘Boneless Chicken Feet Fried’ and ‘Fried Webfoot Octopus.’ The ‘Boneless Chicken Feet Fried’ combines spicy chicken feet with a crispy fried coating. In March this year, they also introduced two types of shelf-stable snacks under ‘Baro eat Anjuya,’ including ‘Anjuya Soy Sauce Beef Tendon’ and ‘Anjuya Spicy Small Intestine Rice Cake.’ These can be consumed without additional cooking and can be stored at room temperature for nine months. Anjuya holds nearly 50% market share in the ready-meal snack market. Cheongjeongwon also newly established the late-night meal ready-meal market with ‘Yasigiya (夜).’ The products include four types: ‘Cheese Seasoned Chicken,’ ‘Chicken with Plenty of Chili,’ ‘Crispy Fried Chicken,’ and ‘Spicy Chicken.’ They are fried using a ‘secret frying powder’ developed to achieve a freshly fried crispy texture.

Popular Pub Menus Become Ready-Meals

Dongwon F&B’s ‘Simyasikdang,’ Ottogi’s ‘Ogam Pocha,’ and CJ CheilJedang’s ‘Jeil Anju’ are competing for second place. Dongwon F&B’s ‘Simyasikdang,’ first introduced in 2017, offers six types of drinking snacks such as ‘Boneless Spicy Chicken Feet,’ ‘Spicy Beef Large Intestines,’ and ‘Cheese Spicy Chicken,’ as well as late-night meals like ‘Soy Sauce Chicken Gangjeong.’ The company named the Simyasikdang brand to mean a restaurant that comforts solo drinkers with delicious food at the end of a tiring day. Ottogi’s ‘Ogam Pocha’ brand features popular pojangmacha dishes such as ‘Grilled Chicken Feet,’ ‘Grilled Cartilage,’ ‘Garlic Stir-fried Chicken Gizzard,’ and ‘Stir-fried Webfoot Octopus.’ They have since diversified their products with items like ‘Shrimp Gambas’ and ‘Chili Cheese Sausage.’ Seeing the growth potential of the ready-meal snack market, CJ CheilJedang also entered the market. In March last year, CJ CheilJedang launched ‘Jeil Anju,’ offering products such as ‘Soyyang Spicy Beef Large Intestines,’ ‘Boneless Spicy Chicken,’ and ‘Spicy Pork Skin.’ Reporter Lim Hye-seon lhsro@