[Comprehensive Award] Orion's Dazzling Global Success... The Secret is 'Consumer Delight'

2025 Asia Consumer Awards
Korea Food Industry Association President's Award

Editor's NoteAsia Economy awarded the ‘2025 Asia Consumer Awards’ to distribution and food companies and brands that were loved by consumers last year. Now in its 19th year, the Asia Consumer Awards selects distribution companies that strive for consumer rights and convenience, and lead the development of the distribution consumer goods industry and trends of the era.

Orion received the Korea Food Industry Association President's Award at the 2025 Asia Consumer Awards. Orion was recognized for its remarkable global achievements, estimated to have surpassed 3 trillion KRW in sales for the first time last year despite the sluggish domestic economy, with about 65% of total sales generated overseas.

The reason Orion was able to continuously expand its presence in overseas markets is attributed to securing consumer trust through product safety. All Orion factories operating not only in Korea but also in China, Vietnam, and Russia have obtained the ‘FSSC 22000’ certification, a food safety management system. FSSC 22000 is an internationally recognized food safety certification accredited by the International Food Safety Association, serving as a global standard specialized in food sectors from raw materials to manufacturing, storage, and packaging.

Orion has been pursuing FSSC 22000 certification since 2013 to ensure thorough food safety and continuous overseas market development. Starting with the Novo factory in Russia in 2013, certifications were obtained at the Tver factory in Russia (2014), Ho Chi Minh (2016) and Hanoi (2018) factories in Vietnam, and the Cheongju and Iksan factories in Korea in 2019. In May 2020, four factories in China?Langfang, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenyang?received certification, marking the achievement of all Orion global confectionery factories completing FSSC 22000 certification.

Orion undergoes strict annual audits of its manufacturing facilities, equipment, personal hygiene, pest control, and food safety programs through the American Institute of Baking (AIB), a U.S. food hygiene inspection agency. It is the only domestic food company to have conducted AIB audits of its global factories for over 20 years since 1996, elevating food hygiene and safety to world-class levels. In 2009, Orion was also the first in the confectionery industry to receive HACCP designation from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Orion not only focuses on product safety but also manages its production processes in an eco-friendly manner to avoid harming the planet. For example, in 2020, it became the first in the domestic food industry to introduce a ‘Global Carbon Emission Integrated Management System.’ This web-based system efficiently manages key data such as greenhouse gas emissions, emission permits, and emission facility status across Orion’s domestic and overseas business sites and production factories in Korea, China, Vietnam, and Russia. Operated in five languages including Korean, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Russian, it allows local employees to easily input and analyze data. This is the first case in the domestic food industry to establish and operate an online system that integrates carbon emission management not only domestically but also for overseas subsidiaries.

Meanwhile, while focusing on overseas expansion, Orion is also known as a company that responds to domestic consumer satisfaction. A representative story is when Orion hand-made the long-discontinued ‘Strawberry Whale Snack’ for a patient at Busan National University Children's Hospital several years ago. In response to active consumer requests, Orion re-released ‘Poca Chip Sweet Cheese Flavor’ in May last year after an 8-year hiatus. Additionally, Orion has listened to consumer opinions through various channels and reflected them in its products. In particular, it has continuously responded to re-release requests by bringing back products such as ‘Taste of the Sun Sun,’ ‘Chicken Pop,’ ‘BaeBae,’ and ‘Wakle.’