"My Favorite Snack"... The Snack That Became a Global Sensation After BLACKPINK Jennie's Mention

Nongshim's Stock Price Surges Over 10 Percent in Ten Days

Jennie, a member of the group BLACKPINK, introduced the Korean snack "Banana Kick" on a popular American talk show, drawing the attention of internet users worldwide. Amid this surge of interest, Nongshim has launched a donut themed after Banana Kick at a dessert cafe in the United States.

On April 18, Nongshim announced that it has introduced the "Banana Kick Cream Donut" at the first overseas branch of the dessert cafe "Knotted" in Los Angeles (LA), United States. This donut, a collaborative product between Nongshim and Knotted, features a banana-flavored cream filling and is topped with Banana Kick snacks.

BLACKPINK's Jennie introducing Banana Kick. Jennifer Hudson Show

Previously, Banana Kick became a trending topic in the US after Jennie mentioned it on March 10 (local time). On that day, Jennie appeared on the Jennifer Hudson Show, a weekly program hosted by the American singer and popular actress Jennifer Hudson, which is known for featuring global artists.

During the show, Jennie held up a bag of Banana Kick snacks to the camera, calling it her "favorite snack" and recommending it by saying, "It's really delicious. You can really taste the banana when you eat this."

Banana Kick Donut introduced at Noted's first store in the US. Nongshim

Following Jennie's remarks, global consumers' attention became focused on Banana Kick. The snack quickly rose to the top of global trending search terms, and Nongshim's stock price also increased as a result. In fact, Nongshim's stock price rose from 386,500 KRW on March 10 to 426,500 KRW on March 20, marking an increase of approximately 10.3% over ten days.

As international interest in Banana Kick rises, Nongshim created an SNS promotional poster. Nongshim

Nongshim also launched an active global marketing campaign through social networking services (SNS). In a poster released on Nongshim's official SNS, a personified Banana Kick character boasts, "I got a solo shot for 5 seconds!" This appears to be a parody referencing Jennie's appearance on the Jennifer Hudson Show.

Meanwhile, Nongshim plans to continue releasing various collaborative menu items with Knotted. The company stated, "Banana Kick has recently become such a hot topic that it is being featured as a signature menu item at a store with the symbolic status of being our first overseas branch," adding, "We will actively promote marketing efforts so that Banana Kick and the Kick series can grow into global snack brands."