Orion's Rice Snack 'An' Surpasses 60 Billion KRW in Cumulative Sales in Vietnam

Orion Rice Snack 'An' Local Sales Image

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Orion announced on the 21st that its rice snack ‘An’ in Vietnam has achieved cumulative sales growth of 34% compared to the same period last year, up to September this year, drawing attention as a new ‘K-snack’ brand. In particular, in September this year, it surpassed the highest monthly sales since its launch, reaching 4.1 billion KRW, ranking second in sales among Orion’s products sold in Vietnam, following Choco Pie.

Launched in April 2019 in Vietnam, the rice snack An immediately rose to second place in the local rice snack market. This year, it successfully increased its market share from the 13% range last year to the 23% range, strengthening its market dominance. Since its launch, cumulative sales have exceeded 60 billion KRW, and cumulative sales volume has surpassed 116 million packs.

Orion Global Research Institute devoted great effort to developing rice snacks targeting Southeast Asian markets, including Vietnam, where rice is a staple food, and completed ‘An’ in two years. In addition to the original sweet flavor, it introduced seaweed and katsuobushi flavors to suit local tastes that prefer seafood. Careful selection of ingredients was made, including choosing the Japonica variety known for its soft texture rather than hardness. The method of baking directly in a kiln was adopted to maximize the crispy texture and savory rice aroma. The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic increased time spent at home, making it popular as a nutritious snack suitable for the whole family.

Based on its popularity in Vietnam, An has expanded into Mongolia, Cambodia, the Philippines, India, and South Africa, gaining attention as a K-snack. Orion plans to gradually expand its export countries, starting exports to Myanmar and Indonesia within this year. In Korea, it was launched last year as ‘Guunssal Chip’ (Baked Rice Chip), receiving positive market responses for its mild yet subtly sweet taste.

An Orion official said, “The rice snack An has grown as a new K-snack following its popularity in Vietnam due to its differentiated product quality,” adding, “We will actively expand the global market to continue the K-snack reputation along with Kkobuk Chip.”