CJ CheilJedang's 'PlanTable' Sells 3 Million Units in 10 Months
Ottogi's 'HelloVeggie' Sells 100,000 Units in Half a Year
Pulmuone's 'Jigu Sikdan' Sales Up 47% YoY in Sept-Oct
Shinsegae Food's B2B-Focused 'Better Meat' Secures Consecutive Orders in Dining and Catering
[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] The food industry, which has been focusing on plant-based brands as the next growth engine and putting effort into launching related products, has begun to see results. Improved quality and expanded product lines have enhanced accessibility, and growing consumer interest in health and value consumption is interpreted as leading to actual sales increases.
According to the distribution industry on the 2nd, CJ CheilJedang's plant-based food specialty brand 'Plantable,' which debuted in the market last December, achieved cumulative sales of about 3 million units within 10 months of its launch. The average monthly sales growth rate reached 20%.
According to CJ CheilJedang's purchase data analysis, more than 80% of Plantable dumpling buyers also purchased meat dumplings by October this year. Additionally, women and people in their 30s to 40s accounted for 70% each of the product buyers, with the proportion of those in their 30s continuing to increase. This suggests that Plantable dumplings are not substitutes for existing dumplings but are creating new demand, establishing themselves as a category and leading market trend changes.
Ottogi's vegan brand 'Hello Veggie' has also been sailing smoothly, selling over 100,000 units in six months since its launch in May. Along with the launch of the brand, Ottogi has been actively building a diverse lineup by continuously introducing products such as vegan ramen 'ChaeHwang' and convenient meal 'Healthy Sotbap' in the second half of the year, following 'Vegetable-rich Curry and Jjajang.'
An Ottogi representative said, "We see sales increasing as interest in vegetarianism and value consumption grows. Although these are vegan products, they are receiving good reviews for their large chunks and abundant portions. We are preparing to launch various Hello Veggie brand products such as cup rice and meat products next year."
Pulmuone's brand 'Jigu Sikdan,' which promotes sustainable foods including plant-based meat and was launched in August, has also shown considerable early success. Sales of the Jigu Sikdan brand in September and October increased by 47% compared to plant-based food sales a year before the brand's launch. Sales in October alone were double the average monthly sales of plant-based food products in the first half of the year.
In the business-to-business (B2B) market, more companies are adopting related products. Shinsegae Food, which is releasing menus and products using the alternative meat brand 'Better Meat,' is currently collaborating on menus with dining brands such as Beckia En Nouveau and Devil's Door, and recently agreed to provide employee meals for the game developer Devsisters of 'Cookie Run.' A Shinsegae Food official explained, "We are receiving inquiries from companies participating in meal services. It seems popular because people can experience various alternative foods such as plant-based beverages, sauces, and desserts in addition to Better Meat."
Besides B2B, Shinsegae Food's 'Better Meat Cold Cut Toast,' launched nationwide at Emart at the end of October, sells more than 1,500 units daily, and the plant-based meat deli store 'The Better' has surpassed 5,000 visitors cumulatively, showing continued positive responses from general consumers. Shinsegae Food plans to continue various activities so that consumers can encounter Better Meat-based menus in more places, as inquiries about Better Meat continue steadily. They also intend to expand their lineup from alternative meat to the entire alternative food category through continuous research and development.
Meanwhile, vegan-certified foods are steadily increasing in line with the growing vegan population in Korea. According to the Korea Vegetarian Union, the domestic vegetarian population reached about 2.5 million last year, more than 16 times the approximately 150,000 in 2008. Vegan-certified foods have also increased; according to the Korea Vegan Certification Institute, 612 foods have cumulatively received vegan certification from 2018 to last year, with 286 new vegan-certified foods last year, a 44% increase compared to the previous year. In addition to foods, cosmetics, household goods, and raw materials have also received vegan certification, with the number of certifications increasing annually, reaching a cumulative total of 2,256 products last year.
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