Nongshim's Bread Manager Establishes a New Category
From Bakery Lines to Supermarket Shelves
Bread Manager Deserves a Promotion to Bread Boss
Nongshim's snack brand "Bread Manager," launched in 2023, has established a new category in the domestic snack market called "bakery snacks."
According to Nongshim on December 26, the Bread Manager brand recently surpassed a cumulative sales volume of 32 million packs. In response, Nongshim has launched a new product, "Bread Manager Matcha Bread," following the success of previous popular items such as salted bread and chocolate bread. Given the wide variety of bread flavors and forms, Nongshim plans to accelerate the expansion of the Bread Manager brand by continuously developing new products that reflect consumer trends.
Matcha has recently gained significant popularity among younger consumers due to its unique bittersweet yet smooth flavor and distinctive color. According to big data analytics company Newen AI, the number of online mentions of the keyword "matcha" from January to October this year reached approximately 830,000, representing an increase of about 67% compared to 490,000 during the same period last year.
"Bread Manager Matcha Bread" reflects this trend by featuring a rich flavor using domestically sourced Jeju matcha powder. The product combines the bittersweetness of matcha with the smooth and sweet taste of milk, all in the signature croissant shape of the Bread Manager series, successfully recreating the taste of the popular beverage "matcha latte."
The Bread Manager brand has quickly gained traction in the market by naturally translating the appeal of popular bakery menu items into snacks favored by the younger generation. It is credited with not only mimicking the appearance of bread but also enhancing taste and quality by using premium ingredients.
The development process led by Nongshim's research team also draws attention. To accurately capture the taste of Bread Manager, the team conducted multiple "open runs," personally visiting over 30 renowned bakeries nationwide. By sampling popular menu items and conducting market research, they selected the flavor types to be applied to the snacks. The development process strictly followed the "formula for bread flavor," combining core bread ingredients such as flour, milk, and butter with breadcrumbs to authentically recreate the savory and rich taste of bread in the snack.
Additionally, the creation of a fictional researcher character named "Bread Enthusiast Manager" has contributed to the brand's popularity. The story of a researcher who is passionate about bread and, tired of waiting in long lines at famous bakeries, decides to create the Bread Manager series so that anyone can easily enjoy bakery-quality bread, has resonated with consumers and made the brand more relatable.
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