Kancho with Personalized Names Sparks Photo Craze
Searching for Your Own, a Partner's, or an Idol's Name... Spreading Like a Game on Social Media
Convenience Store Sales Soar Up to 289%... Widespread Sellouts
Lotte Wellfood's "Find My Name" event is rapidly spreading in a challenge format centered around social networking, causing a surge in sales of "Kancho." X
The iconic Korean snack "Kancho" is experiencing an unexpected heyday after 40 years. An event featuring products with personalized names has gone viral on social networking services, spreading in the form of a challenge. As a result, convenience store sales have surged by up to nearly three times compared to the previous month and year. Some stores report that the product sells out as soon as it arrives, leading to widespread shortages.
According to the convenience store industry on September 19, the average daily sales of Kancho at GS25 soared by 289.6% compared to the same period in the previous month. Seven Eleven saw a 150% increase year-on-year, while Emart24 reported a 102% rise from the previous month.
"Buying until I find the name I want"... Spreading like a game
Lotte Wellfood's "Find My Name" event is rapidly spreading on social networks in the form of a challenge, leading to a surge in sales of "Kancho." X
This surge in sales is thanks to Lotte Wellfood's "Find My Name" event, which began earlier this month. Since September 6, Kancho packages have been randomly printed with 500 of the most commonly registered newborn names in Korea, as well as the names of four official characters (Kani, Choni, Chobi, and Lovey). Each name is accompanied by a character's face and expression, adding to the fun. Customers can upload a verification photo after finding the name of themselves, a family member, friend, or significant other, and enter a drawing for prizes.
The response on social networking services has been explosive. On X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok, users are sharing photos of themselves or their loved ones searching for their names. Among teenagers in particular, it has become a trend to search for the names of their favorite idols and post proof photos online. Some even take pictures of Kancho with idol names alongside photo cards, or cut and paste letters to create their own names before uploading their photos.
Online users have joined the craze with humorous comments such as, "I bought ten boxes just to find my favorite idol's name," "Bought an entire box and still didn't get it. Now I'm just a girl who ate Kancho," "Bought a ton to find my name, but how am I going to eat all of this?" "I've been eating only Kancho for three days in a row," "Every convenience store I visit is sold out," "Couldn't find my name, but I gained weight," and "My name didn't show up, so I wrote it on Kancho myself."
The spectacular "revival" of a 40-year-old snack
Lotte Wellfood's "Find My Name" event is rapidly spreading in a challenge format centered around social networking, causing a surge in sales of "Kancho." X
The Kancho phenomenon demonstrates that even long-standing brands can regain momentum through consumer-participation marketing. Experts point out that, since Millennials & Gen Z strongly associate play with consumption, this case could serve as a model for reviving traditional brands. The industry sees this success as more than just a promotional event, viewing play-based consumption as a new solution for overcoming stagnation in the food market during economic downturns.
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