[Matjjalal X File] The 'Affordable Snack' at the Same Price for 10 Years... Food Companies Hesitate to Disclose

Found products with frozen prices for 10 years amid high inflation
Few including Orion, Namyang Dairy, CJ CheilJedang
Namyang Dairy's special formula Ketonia priced at 2000 won for 23 years

Editor's Note[Matjalal X-Files] uncovers misunderstandings and truths about food.

"I wanted a snack, so I bought one after a long time. I think it used to be 400 won when I was young, but now it costs 1,000 won. The quantity is small compared to the packaging."

This is a post by a blogger who purchased Orion's 'Choco Song-i' at a local supermarket. They are criticizing the expensive price and excessive packaging. Do you agree?

However, you might be surprised when you hear when this post was written. It was written a full 10 years ago. The price of Choco Song-i is still 1,000 won. While the price of a 16,000 won fried chicken rose to 23,000 won, the snack has maintained the same price, so it could be called one of the few affordable snacks in this high inflation era. Especially recently, as cocoa prices have fluctuated wildly, the prices of chocolate-containing snacks have been rising one after another.

After the April general election, food companies started raising prices as if by agreement. Taking advantage of the government's relaxed pressure, everything from chicken to kimbap and soda has gone up. We know that raw material costs, labor, and electricity are not the same as before, but even companies that recorded good first-quarter earnings complain about 'increased costs' and raise prices, which somehow feels annoying.

Thinking in reverse, I looked for appreciated snacks that have maintained the same price for a long time despite everything else going up. I asked 10 companies including Orion, Nongshim, Crown Confectionery, Lotte Wellfood, Samyang Foods, and dairy companies Seoul Milk, Maeil Dairies, Namyang Dairy, as well as CJ CheilJedang and Ottogi. "Which products have maintained the same price for the longest time?"

First, let's look at snacks. Nongshim and Samyang Foods said they do not have any products that have not raised prices. They explained that when they raise prices, it usually applies to all products.

However, Orion gave a different answer. They said there are 17 products, including Ojingeo Peanut, Choco Song-i, Brownie, and My Gummy, that have not raised prices for 10 years. Orion raised product prices in 2013 and 2022, but these 17 products were not included in the 2022 price increase items. An Orion representative explained, "Our basic policy is to supply delicious products at reasonable prices," adding, "Despite internal efforts, we only raise prices on products where cost increases are burdensome."

Of course, Orion is not the only company trying to defend against price increases. Nongshim adjusted the price increase for Saewookkang. In 2022, they raised Saewookkang's price to 1,500 won, but when the government pressured them citing 'international wheat price decline,' they lowered it to 1,400 won in July last year.

A notable answer from the dairy industry unexpectedly came from Namyang Dairy. This is the company that was boycotted for a long time due to owner risk and bullying issues involving former chairman Hong Won-sik's family, but recently changed ownership.

Namyang Dairy had a product that kept its price frozen at 2,000 won for 22 years: the special formula milk 'Ketonia' for children with epilepsy. Children with epilepsy need a diet with precisely divided ratios of fat, protein, and carbohydrates along with medication to alleviate seizures and convulsions. Ketonia is said to be very helpful. Since the product was not made with sales or profitability in mind, Namyang Dairy is said to be taking a 'special loss' by maintaining the price.

Seoul Milk said that due to the cooperative's purpose, it is difficult to produce new products without raw milk, so there are no products whose prices have not increased. This is because the price of raw milk is newly determined each year reflecting production cost increases.

Maeil Dairies has kept prices frozen for about 10 years on baby snacks and drinks. Yomiyomi rice snacks have been 3,900 won since 2013, and Yomiyomi organic juice has been 3,900 won since 2014.

Additionally, Ottogi has maintained the price of its container porridge launched in 2016 at 3,980 won at large discount stores. This is to contribute to consumer price stability amid increasingly fierce competition in convenience foods. CJ CheilJedang cited the 'Bapirang' product launched in 2009 as the product with the longest price stability. Bapirang is dried vegetables, seaweed, and sesame seeds used in rice balls or inari sushi. It has been sold at 2,490 won for 15 years.

One unexpected fact discovered during this investigation is that some food companies want to widely publicize products whose prices have been frozen for years. The reason is that such news could hinder future price increase decisions. It sounded like they might raise prices soon, which was somewhat bittersweet. Of course, since companies aim for profit rather than social contribution, price increases are inevitable, but companies need to actively strive to reduce costs to lessen the burden on consumers. Without consumers, there are no companies.