[Post-Corona, Ready Meals Rise] Solo Drinking and Home Drinking Trends... 'Anjuya' Gains Popularity Through Word of Mouth

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[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Daesang decided to develop frozen anju home meal replacements (HMR) based on the judgment that the 'hon-sul' (drinking alone) and 'home-sul' (drinking at home) trends would spread. Employees visited well-known bars near each station to taste and analyze anju in order to identify specific consumer demands. During this process, they noticed the high popularity of a famous pocha anju menu in Nonhyeon-dong and developed a menu with a similar concept.

The product born from this is 'Anjuya' (夜). The 'Anjuya' Nonhyeon-dong pocha style 3 types (bulmakchang, boneless dakbal, spicy pork skin) were recognized for their product quality from the initial launch and sold rapidly. Without any special marketing, it became scarce through word of mouth alone, selling over 15 million units within two years of release. Riding on the success of 'Anjuya,' the frozen anju HMR market grew rapidly. According to market research firm Nielsen data, the frozen anju HMR market, which was only 19.6 billion KRW in 2016, recorded 96 billion KRW in 2018, growing nearly fivefold in two years. Last year, it recorded 84 billion KRW. Daesang expanded its lineup and currently has released more than 20 products including 'direct-fire boneless dakbal,' 'direct-fire bulmakchang,' and 'stir-fried sea eel.'

Recently, based on the know-how leading the frozen anju HMR market, Daesang entered the shelf-stable anju HMR market. The shelf-stable 'Anjuya' features high-quality anju realized through Cheongjeongwon’s seasoning technology and its expertise as a specialized anju brand, leveraging its past raw material processing and manufacturing know-how. The shelf-stable 'Anjuya' consists of six types: 'whole garlic assorted gopchang,' 'spicy pork and cartilage,' 'spicy pork skin,' 'beef tripe and pork gopchang,' 'whole garlic pork and cartilage,' and 'whole garlic spicy pork skin.'

Besides 'Anjuya,' Daesang is developing and launching HMR products centered on brands such as 'Jibeuroon' and Jongga's 'Jongga Bansang.' Additionally, Daesang is attempting to transform traditional cash cow products like seasonings and sauces (gochujang, doenjang, ssamjang, soy sauce) into more convenient forms through research and development.

Cheongjeongwon launched the food industry’s first online-exclusive brand 'JibeuroON' in 2017 and introduced various convenience food products. 'JibeuroON' is an online specialized food brand that allows consumers to comfortably enjoy diverse and trendy foods at home. At launch, it collaborated with famous restaurants such as Bulgogi Brothers and Pal Seonsaeng to raise awareness. Recently, the product categories have expanded beyond staple foods like rice, soup, stew, and meat to include anju, snacks, and desserts such as dumplings, hot dogs, tteokbokki, and coffee, offering about 50 products.

'JibeuroON' has grown significantly by being recognized by consumers for its affordability, excellent quality, and products differentiated from offline offerings. Sales recorded about 3 billion KRW in its launch year 2017, about 11 billion KRW in 2018, and about 17 billion KRW in 2019. Going forward, 'JibeuroON' plans to release more segmented TPO (time, place, occasion) customized products in categories such as lunch boxes, cereals, and diet foods, aiming to achieve cumulative sales of 100 billion KRW by 2023.

'Jongga Bansang' is a premium convenient Korean food brand launched by Jongga based on its long-standing know-how. 'Jongga Bansang' continues its growth in the expanding home meal replacement market with diverse and differentiated menus. In 2019, sales of 'Jongga Bansang' grew more than 42% compared to 2018, currently offering 12 products including 'Namdo Chueotang,' 'Beef Bone Kimchi Stew,' and 'Hanwoo Gomtang.'

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