"Thin Skin No.1?" Provocation from Domestic Frozen Dumplings Ranked No.2

Bibigo Wang Gyoja Unwavering No.1
Pulmuone-Haitai Compete for 2nd Place

Pulmuone Thin-Skinned Dumplings with the Phrase '1st Place' Included

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] The frozen dumpling market, which has rapidly grown to a scale of 500 billion KRW, is witnessing fierce competition for the 'second place' spot. While CJ CheilJedang dominates the market, Pulmuone and Haitai are intensifying their marketing efforts to boost sales.

Unshakable No. 1 is CJ CheilJedang's 'Bibigo'

According to the food industry and Nielsen Korea on the 17th, CJ CheilJedang's market share in the frozen dumpling market this year reached 45.7%. Since launching 'Bibigo Wang Gyoza' in 2013, CJ CheilJedang's market share expanded from 32.8% in 2015 to 41.1% in 2017, 43.5% in 2018, and 44.8% in 2020. After surpassing a market share of 45% with the release of 'Bibigo Wang Gyoza' in 2013, CJ CheilJedang has consistently held the number one position in the market. Last year, revenue from dumplings alone exceeded 1 trillion KRW domestically and overseas.

The focus of companies is on the 'second place' position. The rankings of Pulmuone and Haitai Confectionery have been swapping, leading to intense competition. Currently, Pulmuone holds second place. Since launching the Thin Skin Filled Dumplings (Yalpi Dumplings) in 2019, Pulmuone overtook Haitai with a 15.0% market share. During the same period, Haitai, which has loyal customers with its 'Gohyang Dumplings,' has seen its market share drop to the 12% range and has remained stagnant.

Pulmuone’s ‘Thin Skin No.1?’ Fierce Competition for Second Place

Pulmuone included the phrase ‘Thin Skin No.1’ on the packaging of its renewed Thin Skin Filled Dumplings (Yalpi Dumplings). The dumpling skin thickness is 0.7 mm, less than 1 mm. The issue lies with the phrase ‘Thin Skin No.1.’ Haitai’s Gohyang Dumplings have a skin thickness of 0.7 mm, and its Sogalchan Thin Skin Dumplings measure 0.65 mm. CJ CheilJedang’s Bibigo Handmade Dumplings and Dongwon’s Thin Skin Dumplings have skin thicknesses of 0.6 mm and 0.65 mm respectively, both thinner than Pulmuone’s.

The food industry estimates that ‘thin skin’ products account for about 10% of all frozen dumpling products. Market research firm Nielsen estimates the market size at around 60 billion KRW annually. This represents about 13% of the entire dumpling market. This is why competitors disparage Pulmuone’s ‘Thin Skin No.1’ marketing. Pulmuone emphasizes ‘Thin Skin No.1’ in its marketing to maintain its second place position. ‘Yalpi Dumplings’ sold 20 million packs within a year of launch. However, as competitors have successively released dumplings emphasizing thin skin, Pulmuone’s market share has declined. In response, Pulmuone strengthened the filling ingredients and renewed Yalpi Dumplings.

Haitai also launched a premium brand, ‘Myeongga Gohyang Dumplings.’ Based on the existing Gohyang Dumplings, the filling was enhanced with fresh, top-quality ingredients. Marketing efforts focused on highlighting the image of a dumpling master. A food industry insider said, "It is difficult to surpass CJ CheilJedang, the unshakable number one in the dumpling market, so competition for second place is fierce," adding, "The battle between Pulmuone and Haitai for second place will be a key point to watch in the domestic dumpling market."