Pioneering the Room Temperature Pouch Porridge Market, 'CJ Bibigo Juk' Surpasses 30 Million Units Sold

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] CJ CheilJedang's 'Bibigo Juk' continues its growth by leading changes in the product juk market, especially in the pouch juk category.

CJ CheilJedang announced on the 4th that Bibigo Juk surpassed a cumulative sales volume of 30 million units as of the end of last month. Over 14 months since its launch, cumulative sales exceeded 80 billion KRW (based on consumer price), and last year alone recorded sales of 67 billion KRW, entering the ranks of quasi-mega brands within just one year. Considering the recent growth trend, it is expected to become a 100 billion KRW mega brand this year.

Riding on its sales success, Bibigo Juk is also driving growth in the product juk market. According to Nielsen Korea, the product juk market, which was around 72 billion KRW in 2017, grew to approximately 133 billion KRW last year when Bibigo Juk was actively sold, doubling in just two years. Bibigo Juk's market share recorded an annual average of 34.7% last year (the top brand held 43.5%), and in the most recent December, it reached 38.3%, closely chasing the first place at 40.4% by a 2-point gap.

The pouch juk category, where Bibigo Juk leads with an overwhelming market share of over 70%, is showing even greater growth as other companies also enter the market. Before Bibigo Juk's launch, pouch juk accounted for only 6% of the product juk market, but last year it grew to 24% in Q1, 29% in Q2, 35% in Q3, and 47% in Q4, nearly half of the market. The product juk market, once dominated solely by container juk, is now divided between container juk and pouch juk, changing the market landscape.

The trend of 'juk becoming an everyday meal,' led by Bibigo Juk, is also reflected in actual purchasing patterns. According to Kantar Worldpanel's cumulative data for Q3 2019, the consumer penetration rate for the juk category (percentage of households purchasing at least once a year) was 29.8%, an increase of over 8 percentage points compared to 21.7% in the same period in 2018. Considering that it increased by about 2% from 19.4% in 2017 to 2018, last year saw a sharp rise in product juk consumers.

The seasonal index of the product juk market is also changing. Previously, sales peaked in December and January and then gradually declined as the cold weather eased, but last year, while the winter peak was slightly maintained, product juk also sold well in July and August during summer, showing a relatively even sales pattern throughout the year.

Regarding these achievements, Jung Young-chul, head of marketing for Bibigo Juk at CJ CheilJedang, said, “The differentiated taste quality based on ambient home meal replacement (HMR) technology?such as the texture of whole grains, deep broth, and abundant toppings?has brought about changes in consumer patterns along with enthusiastic consumer response. We will continue to promote the trend of juk as an everyday meal based on the Bibigo brand power and focus on making Bibigo Juk a 100 billion KRW mega HMR product this year, aiming to achieve market leadership.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.