[National Brand] Sold 3.1 Billion Units Since Launch... Ice Cream Throne 'World Cone'

Cumulative Sales of 1.8 Trillion Won Since Launch
Ranked No.1 in Ice Cream Sales Last Year
Accelerating Global Market Expansion Including India

"The delicious World Cone above all"

Ice cream World Cone produced by Lotte Wellfood was imprinted on consumers with a CM song starting with this copy phrase at the time of its launch. Since then, marketing through sports events such as the World Cup has elevated it to the status of a 'national ice cream.' Such marketing has served as a foundation for World Cone, which has been managed for nearly 40 years since its launch, to maintain the number one position in ice cream sales for decades.

World Cone, produced by Lotte Wellfood, has undergone several design changes through marketing for sports events such as the World Cup since its launch in March 1986. Photo by Lotte Wellfood

According to the Food Industry Statistical Information of the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) on the 11th, World Cone recorded the highest ice cream sales last year. Lotte Wellfood's World Cone sold 71 billion KRW worth. This was followed by ▲Tteokbbungeo Samanco (Binggrae, 64.6 billion KRW) ▲Melona (Binggrae, 61.2 billion KRW) ▲Together (Binggrae, 52.8 billion KRW) ▲Bbangppare (Lotte Wellfood, 43.8 billion KRW), in that order.

World Cone was launched in March 1986. From its third year in 1988, it ranked first in the ice cream cone market and has been a big brand holding the number one position in the overall ice cream market for several years. The sales performance of World Cone from its launch to the first half of this year, spanning 38 years, amounts to about 1.8 trillion KRW. Converted into units, this is about 3.1 billion pieces. If the sales volume were lined up, the length would be approximately 682,000 km, which is enough to circle the Earth more than 17 times.

The biggest factor solidifying World Cone's number one position is its highly refined taste. A company official said, "From the time of launch, it was made to be richer, smoother, and more savory compared to competing products," adding, "The structure of sprinkling peanuts on the ice cream and then decorating it again with chocolate is considered the bible of ice cream cones." The point that the toppings were made delicious to enhance visual effects also stands out. To prevent the middle part of the cone from becoming bland, peanuts coated with chocolate were inserted. In particular, vanilla flavor made from premium Madagascar vanilla beans was used for aroma.

When first released in 1986, it came in three flavors: chestnut, vanilla, and coffee, recording sales of 6.8 billion KRW in that year alone. Currently, vanilla, chocolate, and cookies & cream flavors are offered. In 2022, the content of milk and vanilla flavor was increased about twofold. Especially, the vanilla flavor used products certified by RA (Rainforest Alliance), adding an eco-friendly meaning. The Rainforest Alliance, established in 1987 as a U.S. non-profit organization, grants RA certification to crops grown with farming methods that protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities.

Lotte Wellfood produces World Cone in flavors such as chocolate as well as vanilla. Photo by Lotte Wellfood

World Cone exports to about 30 countries including the U.S., Vietnam, and Mongolia, and expanded this to 36 countries since the end of last year. Notably, it achieved new entries into large supermarkets in China and convenience store channels in Mongolia, resulting in an export increase of about 2.5 times in the first half of this year compared to last year.

Lotte Wellfood launched World Cone in the Indian market in 2021, producing and selling locally. It also decided to build a new ice cream production plant in Pune, Maharashtra, with an investment of 70 billion KRW, which is nearing completion. The plant, built on a 60,000㎡ site, will be the largest single ice cream production facility for Lotte and will feature an automated production line incorporating Lotte’s expertise.

The new ice cream production facility of Havmore, invested with about 70 billion KRW, is scheduled to start full operation in the first half of 2025. The current regional coverage, concentrated in western and northern India, is expected to expand broadly to central and southern regions. Expanding the local production line for World Cone will enable customized local production, further boosting brand expansion. Lotte Wellfood operates two chocolate-flavored World Cone varieties?Double Belgian Choco and Swiss Choco Brownie?in addition to the representative vanilla flavor, tailored to the Indian market’s preference for chocolate flavors.

A Lotte Wellfood official stated, "We will continue to strive tirelessly until World Cone, a representative domestic ice cream brand, is reborn as a World Cone loved by people worldwide."