Number of Visitors to Nongshim Mall Doubles
Similar to the Frenzied Popularity of Honey Butter Chips Craze
"It smells like Meoktae, but it's crispy like a snack, so I keep reaching for it."
Nongshim's new snack product 'Meoktaekkang,' launched last month, is creating a sensation. Meoktaekkang is the successor to Saewookkang and is the sixth 'Kkang snack' introduced by Nongshim.
Demand for Meoktaekkang is outpacing supply, causing it to gain popularity and become scarce. It is even being traded secondhand at prices 10 times higher.
There are reports that some convenience stores are selling a case of bottled beer bundled with one Meoktaekkang. This means you have to buy a case of bottled beer to try Meoktaekkang, which costs 1,700 won per bag.
Recently, Mr. Park, a man in his 20s who managed to get Meoktaekkang, said, "I usually enjoy Meoktae as a beer snack, but it was new to taste Meoktae flavor in a snack, and the addition of Cheongyang mayo sauce was impressive."
1.95 Million Packs Sold in 25 Days Since Launch
Meoktaekkang, the successor to the national snack Saewookkang, sold 1 million packs in just one week. By the 25th day after launch, on the 21st, 1.95 million packs had been sold.
As Meoktaekkang became unavailable in marts and convenience stores, people flocked to Nongshim's online mall. With the increasing number of people trying to get Meoktaekkang, the daily average visitors to Nongshim Mall increased by about 200% after the launch, and the daily average number of new sign-ups rose by about 250%, resulting in a total membership increase of about 400% compared to the end of last year.
Due to the shortage of Meoktaekkang supply, Nongshim has limited purchases to 4 packs per ID at its online mall, Nongshim Mall.
During a Meoktaekkang sales event on TMON on the 19th, more than 200,000 people rushed in at the start, and all 230 boxes prepared were sold out in 44 seconds.
It is popular because it has the aroma of Meoktae and a crispy texture like a snack. On YouTube and other social media, posts verifying the product and tips for enjoying it deliciously are pouring in. The most well-known way is to dip it in a sauce made by mixing Cheongyang chili pepper, mayonnaise, and soy sauce, and enjoy it with beer, just like eating Meoktae.
SSG Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin fueled the craze for Meoktaekkang. On the 12th, he posted a photo on his Thread account holding Meoktaekkang while watching a game of the baseball team SSG Landers, of which he is the owner.
Vice Chairman Chung also posted a photo of an Asahi Super Dry draft beer can following Meoktaekkang and wrote, "Eat like this together."
The popularity, which can be described as a frenzy, is reminiscent of the Honey Butter Chip launched in 2014. Nongshim plans to produce the maximum quantity possible to meet the increasing demand for Meoktaekkang. However, the company explained that it is not considering expanding the production line.
There is a past case where expanding the production line led to a bitter investment failure. Haitai Confectionery invested 36 billion won to expand the production line for Honey Butter Chips, but the popularity quickly faded. Korea Yakult also invested 50 billion won in 2011 to expand its ramen factory when Kkokkomyeon became popular, but it suffered the humiliation of having to sell the ramen at the lowest price among its products.
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