'Adult Snack Syndrome' Meoktaekkang 1 Year Since Launch... 1 in 2 Koreans Bought It

Nongshim, First Launched in June Last Year... 27 Million Packs Sold in 1 Year
Over 2 Million Packs Sold Monthly
Contributes to Company's Domestic Snack Sales Growth
Expansion Products Like Ramen and Sauces Follow

It has been revealed that over 27 million packs of Nongshim Meoktaekkang, launched in June last year, have been sold in one year. Meoktaekkang has maintained its popularity since its release by sparking an 'adult snack syndrome.' As this product contributed to the rebound in the company's snack division sales, the product line based on Meoktae is also expanding. Nongshim plans to establish a new category centered on Meoktae as a keyword to solidify its position as a unique brand.

Nongshim Meoktaekkang
Photo by Nongshim

According to the related industry on the 25th, Nongshim Meoktaekkang celebrated its first anniversary since its debut on June 26 last year. Over 27 million packs of Meoktaekkang were sold within a year. This means that about one in two of the approximately 51.75 million Korean citizens have tasted this product. A Nongshim official stated, "The cumulative sales speed of Meoktaekkang over one year is similar to that of Kkulkkwabegi, which ranks third in the company's overall snack sales."

Meoktaekkang is a product that combines the taste of Meoktae, popular as a beer snack, into a snack. It features the rich umami flavor unique to Meoktae, and by adding Cheongyang mayo flavor, which is served as a sauce with Meoktae, it delivers a salty yet spicy taste. The shape is a crispy, flat stick form that is easy to enjoy in one bite.

This product was actually commercialized from an idea that won the grand prize at the 'Challenge Fair,' an annual contest where Nongshim collects new product ideas from researchers and marketers. The researcher who proposed Meoktaekkang was inspired by seeing the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) enjoying Meoktae, which was thought to be an adult snack, at traditional beer pubs.

Since its launch, Meoktaekkang has been evaluated as a 'snack that goes well with beer' and a 'true adult snack,' causing a shortage in the market. Competitors also released many 'me-too products' with similar taste and ingredients.

Nongshim expanded the production volume of Meoktaekkang, which was previously produced only at the Busan factory, to the Asan factory, increasing weekly production from 300,000 packs to 600,000 packs to meet demand. Since then, monthly sales have consistently exceeded 2 million packs, maintaining production at the same level. Nongshim's snack division sales in the domestic market last year reached 477.8 billion KRW, an increase of over 50 billion KRW compared to the previous year (426.8 billion KRW). The company explained that new ramen and snack products, including Meoktaekkang, accounted for about half of the domestic business sales increase.

Since January this year, Nongshim has also introduced extended products incorporating the idea of Meoktaekkang. Representative examples include 'Potato Chip Meoktae Cheongyang Mayo Flavor,' which adds Meoktae Cheongyang mayo flavor to the crispy texture of the popular snack Potato Chips, and 'Meoktaekkang Big Bowl Noodles,' which features a savory and spicy sauce made with mayonnaise and Cheongyang chili, cabbage and Cheongyang chili-flavored bits, and Meoktae powder to enhance umami.

Potato Chip Meoktae Cheongyang Mayo Flavor sold 4.2 million packs within five weeks of its launch, surpassing the initial sales volume of Meoktaekkang. It currently ranks second in sales among the Potato Chip series, following the original product, contributing to the growth of the Potato Chip brand's sales. Last month, Nongshim also launched 'Potato Chip Meoktae Gochujang Mayo Flavor,' flavored with a sauce combining gochujang and mayonnaise, and 'Meoktae Cheongyang Mayo All-Purpose Sauce,' reinterpreted as a mayonnaise-type sauce that can be used in various dishes.

A Nongshim official said, "Riding on the popularity of Meoktaekkang, we are creating a kind of 'Nongshim Meoktae Universe' by applying the Meoktae concept to various products," adding, "We plan to continue presenting various Meoktae flavors to consumers under the theme 'Meoktae is Nongshim' and create long-loved steady sellers."