'Orion Chambbung-eo-bbang' Celebrates 10th Anniversary, Surpasses 200 Billion KRW in Cumulative Sales

2011 Korea's First Mass-Produced Bungeoppang Word of Mouth
A Counterintuitive Dessert Enjoyable in All 4 Seasons

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] Orion announced on the 25th that ‘Cham Bungeoppang,’ which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, has captivated consumers in Korea and China, surpassing 200 billion KRW in global cumulative sales. The cumulative sales volume reaches approximately 450 million units. Over the past 10 years, about 1.5 units have been sold every second.

Cham Bungeoppang is a mass-produced snack that transforms the traditional winter snack, Bungeoppang, into a treat that can be enjoyed year-round. When it was launched in May 2011, ahead of summer, the unconventional idea led to a scarcity phenomenon where all units were sold out immediately upon display. Since then, it has sold more than 40 million units annually, establishing itself as a flagship product of Orion.

It is also popular among Chinese consumers. In Chinese, the word for fish ‘魚 (y?)’ and the word for abundance ‘余 (y?)’ share the same pronunciation, making fish a symbol of wealth. Cham Bungeoppang is popular as a return gift for families and acquaintances of Chinese tourists, and it has consistently ranked high in sales within the Korean product direct purchase category on Chinese online shopping malls such as JD.com. Believing in its high growth potential in China, Orion began local production under the name ‘Xiaoyunueruo (小???)’ at the end of 2019. Since its launch, it has sold over 15 billion KRW worth in 14 months.

An Orion official said, “Cham Bungeoppang is gaining great popularity not only in Korea but also in China, establishing itself as a globally popular cake,” adding, “We plan to continuously develop new flavors considering trends and changing consumer preferences.”

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