Winter's Beloved Snack 'Hoppang' Reminisced in the Cold Wind, 5 Billion Sold Over 50 Years

One Year of Development for Winter Bread Necessity
Hoppang, First Released in October 1971
Over 100 Million Units Sold Annually on Average

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Hobbang, meaning "blowing to cool and then eating," has established itself as a representative winter snack for the nation with its unchanged taste over 50 years. Following last year, Hobbang is setting new records again this year by achieving the highest sales ever.

Annual Sales of 120 Billion KRW, Cumulative 6.3 Billion Units

According to the food industry on the 14th, SPC Samlip's Hobbang is expected to reach a cumulative sales volume of 6.3 billion units. Last year, Hobbang sales exceeded the target (110 billion KRW), reaching around 120 billion KRW, a 20% increase from the previous year. Since its launch in October 1971, Hobbang has delivered remarkable results every year. Over 50 years, more than 100 million units have been sold annually. Based on the six-month sales period, 6.4 units are sold every second (based on 100 million units sold).

Hobbang is the mainstay of winter snacks. In the winter of 1970, SPC Samlip and its distributors struggled as the bread on display shelves would freeze. The late Heo Chang-seong, Honorary Chairman of SPC Group, decided to develop winter bread and, after about a year of experiments under strict security in an inaccessible location, introduced Hobbang to the world. The pure white Hobbang, 10 cm in diameter and weighing 90 g, was initially priced at 20 won, four times more expensive than other breads sold at 5 won at the time, yet it quickly gained popularity. From mid-October, when the cold begins, to February of the following year, sales accounted for 15% of annual revenue.

Capturing Both Middle-aged and New Generation Tastes

Heo Young-in, SPC Group Chairman and son of the late Honorary Chairman, expanded the Hobbang category. Building on the traditional popular products like red bean and vegetable Hobbang, new products reflecting current trends have been released annually. Since 2016, the quality of Hobbang has been enhanced by applying a self-developed "native yeast." As a result, Hobbang is consumed not only by middle-aged consumers who recall nostalgic memories but also by younger generations. The sales proportion of new Hobbang products has steadily increased, rising from 10-20% (new product sales rate among all Hobbang) until 2016 to 30% last year.

SPC Samlip developed "Fermented Rice (米) Strain Alpha" and applied it to all Hobbang products. Based on over 50 years of accumulated Hobbang manufacturing technology, this patented native lactic acid bacteria mixed with components extracted from Korean rice, combined with rice saccharification liquid (sugar produced by fermenting rice and nuruk), enhances the unique umami and chewy texture of rice.

Hobbang as a Meal Substitute, Unique Products

Various unique products reflecting trends have also been introduced. One of them is spicy Hobbang targeting young consumers. "Rose Hobbang," which adds spicy gochujang and soft fresh cream; "Nashville Hobbang," replicating the taste of hot chicken from Nashville, USA; and "Bae Hong-dong Hobbang," using Bae Hong-dong sauce in collaboration with Nongshim, have all become topics of interest. "Mint Choco Hobbang," catering to the "Mincho-dan" (people who like mint and chocolate) trend, and "Perilla Oil Spicy King Hobbang" and "Sesame Oil Chive King Hobbang," in collaboration with Haepyo, have also been popular on social networking services (SNS). Additionally, there is a "meal-type Hobbang" designed for convenient meal replacement in line with the recent home-cooked and solo dining culture. These include "Handon Meat Hobbang," made with 100% domestic pork and cabbage; "Meat-filled Manbbang," packed with pork and chives; and soul food-inspired "Steamed Galbi Hobbang," "Kimchi Pork Hobbang," and "Omori Kimchi Manbbang." Meal-type Hobbang is packaged as a single serving to reflect the single-person household trend and uses patented packaging technology called "Hobbang Steam Pack," which allows a moist texture without using a steamer.

An SPC Samlip official explained, "We focus on enhancing value by maintaining the unique brand identity of Samlip Hobbang while well integrating the current era. We are making efforts to naturally permeate the younger generation without damaging the brand's inherent assets."

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