[National Brand] 'Godttugi' and the Origin of Convenience Food 'Ottogi Curry'

First Released on May 5, 1969
Designated as Company Foundation Anniversary Symbol Product
Expanding into Healthy Ingredients for Powder and 3-Minute Cooking

'Ottogi Curry' is the symbolic product of Ottogi, which sells over 3,000 products. It was the first product produced after the company was established. It was introduced to the world in 1969 as 'Ottogi Powder Instant Curry.' Ottogi designated May 5th of the year the first product, Ottogi Curry, was supplied to the market as its founding day.

Ottogi Curry, first introduced in 1969 [Photo by Ottogi]

After the traditional Indian dish curry was called "kare" in Japan and reinterpreted in a Japanese style, curry also landed in Korea. In the 1960s, curry was not a food enjoyed by the general public in Korea. It was a menu consumed by the wealthy or in some high-end restaurants.

The late Ham Tae-ho, Honorary Chairman of Ottogi, was confident that introducing a spicy curry considering the Korean eating habit of eating soup and stew spicily with rice would gain popularity. Accordingly, he launched a "Korean-style curry" that emphasized a spicy aroma. Following his belief that "food should be made with love and sincerity for the family," he chose curry as the first product and adjusted the portion size to serve five people, considering that the average household size in Korea at the time was five members.

The start was in powder form. In 1981, Ottogi expanded its range with '3-Minute Curry' in retort pouch form (food cooked and processed, sealed in pouches made of aluminum or similar materials, and sterilized by heating at high temperatures). This was the precursor to the recently popular Home Meal Replacement (HMR) products. By offering both powder types with long shelf life and products that can be cooked immediately, Ottogi led the popularization of curry.

Ottogi Curry Product Line
Photo by Ottogi

Ottogi also put effort into combining curry with health foods and improving cooking convenience. A representative example is the launch of 'Baekse Curry' in 2004, which increased turmeric content by 57.4% and added rosemary, bay leaves, and other ingredients. In 2009, Ottogi became the first in Korea to release granulated curry that dissolves well in water.

Additionally, Ottogi developed 'Vegetable-rich Curry,' focusing on the vegan trend, and 'Mediterranean Tomato Curry,' which uses tomatoes grown in the Mediterranean as the main ingredient. The Mediterranean Tomato Curry is a solid curry product introduced six years after Ottogi launched the 'Ottogi 3-Day Aged Curry' solid product in 2017.

Ottogi Curry is a beloved national brand for over 50 years, known for its healthy taste and aroma. In the domestic powder curry market, estimated to be worth about 73 billion KRW, Ottogi's market share reaches 85%. According to the market research firm Nielsen Korea, as of last year, Ottogi also ranked first with a 77.4% market share in the 3-minute meal category, including 3-Minute Curry.