[K-Food Hidden Hero] Post, a Healthy and Hearty Meal... Cheers from 'Hwakjjinja'

⑪ Dongseo Food Cereal

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] As the time spent at home has increased due to COVID-19, the cereal market is heating up. According to market research firm Nielsen Korea on the 26th, last year the domestic cereal market was estimated to be worth 311.7 billion KRW. The absolute leader in the cereal market is Dongseo Food’s ‘Post,’ which offers a variety of cereals including corn flakes, granola, and hot cereals.

A Healthy Meal: ‘Granola’

Granola, which has emerged as a representative breakfast substitute product, is made by mixing grains, dried fruits, and nuts with sugar or honey and baking them in an oven. Granola accounts for about 27% (64.8 billion KRW) of the total cereal market. Among this, Dongseo Food’s Post holds 38.2 billion KRW, accounting for 58.9% of the total. It is followed by Nongshim Kellogg (20.4 billion KRW) and Orion Market O (4.2 billion KRW).

Since launching the first granola cereal in Korea in 2008, Dongseo Food has released two product lines: ‘Post Granola’ and ‘Post Golden Granola.’ Post Granola is based on corn flakes and includes granola made by baking healthy whole grains such as oats, paired with refreshing dried fruits. It consists of three types: Cranberry Almond, Blueberry, and Cacao Walnut. Post Golden Granola offers a variety of options with premium nuts and fruits such as Crunch, Fruits, and Almond Bean, allowing consumers to enjoy according to their personal preferences.

Hot Cereal Gains Attention as a Convenient Meal

Hot cereal, which is eaten by mixing with warm milk, soy milk, or water, is also gaining attention as a convenient meal replacement alongside granola. Hot cereal, mainly made from the super grain oats, offers both health benefits and a satisfying fullness, making it popular especially among women in their 20s and 30s who are interested in dieting. According to Nielsen data, the hot cereal market, which was worth 2.9 billion KRW in 2019, grew by more than 30% to 3.8 billion KRW last year. Dongseo Food entered the hot cereal market in October 2019 with ‘Post Fiber Oatmeal’ and within a year captured a 17.6% market share, driving market growth.

Post Fiber Oatmeal features the soft and savory taste of oats as the main ingredient and is rich in dietary fiber, combining taste and nutrition. It is made with quick oats, which are finely crushed oatmeal particles, allowing for faster and more convenient preparation. It comes in two varieties: Original and Nut & Oat. In May last year, a large-size product with increased volume was launched for consumers who regularly consume oatmeal, expanding consumer choices. Following the existing small pouch packaging that is easy to carry, the new large-size product comes in a bag type with increased capacity.

Dongseo Food applies the ‘Sensory Zipper Bag’ packaging, which considers convenience and the environment, to the Post Granola product line and the large-size Post Fiber Oatmeal Original product. The Sensory Zipper Bag is a pouch-type packaging with a zipper at the opening, allowing easy sealing to keep the product fresh. It has superior moisture-blocking capabilities compared to the traditional tape-sealed method, enabling consumers to enjoy fresh cereal for a long time after opening. Additionally, unlike the previous products composed of paper cases and inner packaging, this single packaging method reduces packaging size, considering environmental protection. The bottom area of the product is made wider than the opening so that consumers can stably stand and store the product in any space.

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