[National Brand] The Icon of 'Ttungba'... Binggrae Banana Flavored Milk

Trademark of Moon Jar-Shaped Container
900 Million Units Sold Since 1974 Launch

Binggrae Banana Flavored Milk is a nostalgic beverage for those aged 30 and above. Many children who were reluctantly taken to public bathhouses by their parents during childhood likely have memories of willingly following along because of this product.

Binggrae Banana Flavored Milk
Photo by Binggrae

Binggrae Banana Flavored Milk is trademarked by its chubby, translucent plastic container shaped like a moon jar. It gained popularity under nicknames such as 'Danji Milk' and 'Ttungba' (Chubby Banana Flavored Milk).

When the product was launched in 1974, the development team considered a container design that would differentiate it from the commonly used glass bottles or plastic packs in the market. While brainstorming a design familiar to Koreans, they happened upon a traditional moon jar at a pottery exhibition and drew inspiration from it. To prevent the contents from spilling even if the container tilted slightly during drinking, a lip was created at the opening, and the container was made translucent to highlight the yellow color of the banana. This container design has been maintained for 49 years, becoming deeply ingrained in consumers' minds. In 2016, the shape of the banana flavored milk container was registered as a trademark.

That same year, Binggrae introduced Yellow Cafe, the first theme cafe centered around banana flavored milk. Although the product still had high recognition, the company judged that securing loyal customers among younger generations such as teenagers and people in their twenties was essential for the brand's future. Additionally, based on survey results showing that consumers often use straws when drinking banana flavored milk, they launched the 'My Straw Campaign' to create straws that only they would want to have. They also emphasized environmental protection campaigns with messages encouraging consumers to wash and separate used containers for recycling.

Thanks to these efforts, Binggrae Banana Flavored Milk has established itself as a national brand holding an 80% market share in the banana milk market. As of last year, sales including exports exceeded 200 billion KRW, marking an all-time high, and cumulative sales since launch have reached 9 billion units. A Binggrae representative stated, "Banana Flavored Milk, launched in 1974, has been a leading steady seller in the domestic market for nearly 50 years, receiving great love from customers and maintaining the number one position in the domestic market. We will continue to strive tirelessly to approach consumers as a familiar yet new brand."