'Add Butter and Sweet Potato' The Big Transformation of Jerky Snacks Targeting Solo Drinkers

Domestic Yukpo Sales Increase by 37.5% Over 2 Years
Raw Materials Diversify to Pork and Chicken
Tendency to Seek Easy Snacks Amid 'Honsul' Trend

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the culture of 'home drinking' and 'solo drinking' has spread, leading to a corresponding growth in the domestic jerky market. This is because people who enjoy drinking alone at home are seeking jerky as a simple snack that requires no preparation. The industry is focusing on developing new product lines to meet diverse consumer demands.

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation on the 12th, sales of dried and preserved meat processed foods in South Korea amounted to 158.2 billion KRW in 2021. This represents a 37.5% increase over two years from 115 billion KRW in 2019, the year just before the outbreak of COVID-19. The industry analyzes that the culture of drinking alone at home has expanded since the pandemic, leading to increased demand for convenient snacks like jerky.

The raw materials used for jerky are also becoming more diverse. While beef, pork, and chicken are all used, beef has traditionally dominated the jerky market. However, with growing consumer interest in health and the implementation of policies to promote domestic pork known as 'Handon,' the proportion of pork and chicken used has increased. Pork jerky offers better cost-effectiveness and a mild flavor compared to beef jerky, while chicken jerky has the advantages of lower fat content and higher protein content.

Reference photo [Getty Images Bank]

In response to these trends, the domestic food industry has also changed its marketing strategies. They are targeting diversified consumer demands by collaborating with famous overseas brands to launch premium product lines or introducing products with unique flavors. CU recently partnered with the Singapore Tourism Board to launch 'Bichenhyang Mini Easy Chili Pork,' a handcrafted jerky brand from Singapore called Bichenhyang. The unit price ranges from 13,900 KRW to 14,500 KRW, placing it in the relatively high-priced premium category. Emart24 also released 'Jack Link's Jerky,' made from New Zealand beef, and 'Premium Woori Beef Jerky,' which is domestically sourced beef aged at low temperatures.

There are also attempts to attract consumers who usually do not enjoy jerky by adding new flavors that did not exist before. Sempio launched 'Jilleo Butter Corns,' a jerky enhanced with the savory taste of sweet corn and butter, while meat processing company Cojubu introduced 'Haenam Sweet Potato Jerky,' which adds the sweet flavor and aroma of sweet potatoes. Amid the recent 'vegetarian trend,' there are also vegan jerkies that replicate the taste of jerky using plant-based ingredients. Vegan jerky is mainly made from ingredients such as soy protein and vegetable oils. A representative example is the plant-based vegan jerky 'Gogi Daesin Masinneun Nyeoseokdeul' launched by alternative meat specialist BioMixTech in 2021, which achieved 100,000 orders within a month of release. Another food tech company, FutureX, launched the vegan brand Vegan Dino in 2021 and introduced 'Vegan Dino Jerky Original,' a vegan jerky free of cholesterol, trans fats, and gluten.

Experts predict that the demand for jerky will continue to grow alongside the home drinking and solo drinking culture, which has become a trend even after COVID-19. Professor Eunhee Lee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies explained, "'Solo drinkers' are often individuals who want to heal their tired minds and bodies through alone time amid various social networks. Rather than spending time and money to prepare a full table, they seek simple snacks they can enjoy without worrying about others' eyes." She added, "The simple snack market, including jerky, will develop into more diverse forms to meet changing consumer demands in the future."