Fourfold Charm 'Kkobuk Chip' Sold 200 Billion Won in 5 Years

Surpassing 200 Billion KRW in Domestic Cumulative Sales 5 Years After Launch in March 2017

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] The four-layer snack ‘Kkobuk Chip’ is enjoying steady popularity, having surpassed 200 billion KRW in cumulative domestic sales.

According to Orion on the 7th, as of February this year, Kkobuk Chip's cumulative domestic sales exceeded 200 billion KRW. Debuting successfully by selling 24 billion KRW worth in its first year of release in 2017, Kkobuk Chip continued its momentum with sales of 45 billion KRW the following year. Although sales dipped to 29 billion KRW in 2019, it made a comeback in 2020 with the launch of the ‘Choco Churros flavor’ and set a new annual sales record last year with 53 billion KRW.

Kkobuk Chip attracted attention from its first release in March 2017 due to its unique texture and has continued to receive positive responses from consumers. An Orion official evaluated, "In the domestic confectionery market led by long-established products, the innovative product featuring a four-layer crispy texture was a decisive factor."

The popularity of the newly introduced ‘Sweet Vanilla flavor’ in January is also remarkable. Although distribution nationwide has not yet been fully established due to its early launch stage, it reportedly sold about 1.5 billion KRW worth within a month. This is approximately 30% higher than the turnover rate at the initial launch of the Choco Churros flavor, which caused a sold-out situation.

Orion Kkobuk Chip 'Sweet Vanilla Flavor'

Kkobuk Chip's popularity is not confined to Korea. Since entering the U.S. market in 2017, it has been exported to 17 countries including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. Export sales have steadily increased from 5.9 billion KRW in 2019 to 10.9 billion KRW in 2020, and 17.2 billion KRW last year. Notably, it is encouraging that sales channels are expanding beyond Asia to the U.S. and Australia. In the U.S., it has entered the large retail channel ‘Sam’s Club’ and is actively targeting the Hispanic market, while in Australia, it has started sales through ‘Coles,’ a distribution company with a 100-year history, expanding its sales network.

Orion plans to grow Kkobuk Chip into a global brand following Choco Pie by launching localized products. Orion explained that since food preferences and tendencies vary by region, a thorough preparation process in product development and marketing strategy is necessary for a phased approach.

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