Saewookkang Tops Retail Sales for Second Consecutive Year
Pocachip Ranks Second, Choco Pie Third, Pepero Fourth
This year, the most popular snack among consumers in the first half was Nongshim's Saewookkang. As retro sensibilities and the trend of "nostalgic snacks" have spread, particularly through social networking services (SNS), long-standing steady sellers such as Saewookkang, Choco Pie, and Pepero are regaining their presence.
According to food industry statistical data released on December 10, Saewookkang recorded sales of 57.8 billion won at retail stores in the first half of this year, maintaining its top spot for the second consecutive year. The retail store standard aggregates sales from major distribution channels including department stores, large discount marts, chain supermarkets, convenience stores, independent supermarkets, and general food stores.
Saewookkang Maintains Top Position Thanks to Marketing
Although Saewookkang's sales declined slightly by 1% year-on-year, it firmly held its number one position across all snack categories, including snacks, chocolates, and biscuits. Nongshim's recent strategy of strengthening collaborative marketing is seen as having appealed to younger consumers. In particular, limited edition packaging featuring characters from the Netflix series "K-Pop Demon Hunters" generated significant buzz on SNS.
Additionally, last year, Nongshim opened a "Saewookkang Adventure in Goraeseom" pop-up store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, specifically targeting the younger generation. Wasabi-flavored Saewookkang, which won first place in a unique Saewookkang flavor vote held at the pop-up, was officially launched in August this year and surpassed 1.8 million bags sold within just two weeks of release, quickly establishing itself in the market.
Potato Snack Leader Pocachip Ranks Second
Orion's Pocachip ranked second with sales of 54.4 billion won. Its sales increased by 8.1% compared to the same period last year, marking the highest growth rate among the top ten products. The launch of "Pocachip Triple Pepper" in April and limited-edition products made with seasonal new potatoes gained popularity through word-of-mouth on SNS, driving sales growth.
Following these were Orion Choco Pie (47.8 billion won), Lotte Wellfood Pepero (42.6 billion won), Nongshim Kellogg Pringles (41.8 billion won), Lotte Wellfood Kkokkalcorn (41.2 billion won), Haitai Confectionery Homerun Ball (39.6 billion won), Ferrero Rocher (36.5 billion won), Lotte Wellfood Ghana (33.8 billion won), and Orion Squid Peanut (31.5 billion won), all of which captivated the Korean palate.
Meanwhile, the domestic snack market continues to grow steadily. In 2022, the total snack market reached 2.737 trillion won, an increase of 337.3 billion won compared to the previous year. Among these, the snack segment alone was valued at 1.446 trillion won.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
