Orion's Traditional Flavored Products Like 'Chal Choco Pie' Gain Popularity with Rapid Sales Increase

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] Orion announced on the 5th that its products ‘Kkobuk Chip Dalkong Injeolmi Flavor’ and ‘Chal Choco Pie,’ which incorporate traditional Korean flavors such as Injeolmi and Heukimja, have captured the taste buds of young consumers and established themselves as hit products in the confectionery market.

Recently, riding the newtro trend, desserts using Injeolmi and Heukimja have gained popularity, receiving high acclaim from younger generations. Among the trend-sensitive 10-20 age group who are enthusiastic about unique combinations, the word-of-mouth success of these innovative products that blend traditional Korean flavors into snacks and pies was also a key factor.

Launched at the end of November last year, Kkobuk Chip Dalkong Injeolmi Flavor is a snack that maximizes the sweet and savory taste of Injeolmi by spreading Injeolmi sauce on four-layered chips and generously sprinkling roasted soybean powder. It has gained popularity among the 10-20 young generation who prefer Injeolmi-flavored desserts, achieving monthly sales of around 1 billion KRW, making it a hit product in the food industry. This accounts for more than 25% of total Kkobuk Chip sales, revitalizing the Kkobuk Chip brand as it celebrates its third anniversary.

Chal Choco Pie, introduced in November last year, is a product that combines the nation’s favorite snack, Choco Pie, with traditional rice cake desserts, available in two flavors: Injeolmi and Heukimja. Both flavors have seen increasing demand, with all production shipped immediately, surpassing cumulative sales of 15 million units within three months of launch. Its chewy texture and sweet taste, which cannot be found in Western desserts like cookies or cakes, successfully appeal to Korean palates. Thanks to the launch of Chal Choco Pie, Choco Pie sales from January to February this year grew by more than 20% compared to the same period last year, leading a second heyday for Choco Pie.

An Orion official analyzed, “The fusion products that reincarnate traditional Korean flavors seem to have received special responses from young consumers who are enthusiastic about novelty.”

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