"Trends Don't Last Three Months" - Food Industry Frustrated as Fads Fade Fast [Era of Flash Trends] ①

#The department in charge of identifying industry trends and planning new products at food manufacturer Company A operates multiple social network service (SNS) accounts. This is because following trends can lead to misinterpretations due to biased algorithms. Considering the algorithm's tendency to repeat similar information, the goal is to observe as diverse a range of posts as possible. An official from Company A explained, "Even within the same platform, trends can look different depending on the account," adding, "We focus on monitoring how consumers are actually behaving from as many perspectives as possible."

#Employees responsible for trend analysis at food service company Company B often participate in "open runs" before coming to work. They make sure not to miss restaurants, cafes, or bakeries that are known as "hot places," keenly observing domestic and international food and beverage trends. Their single goal is to catch trends faster than anyone else and quickly move into product planning and development. Since even a day's delay means a product release falls behind, the company is focused on speeding up its development process as much as possible.

Singer Jang Wonyoung, certified by Dujjonku, and broadcaster Kang Hodong eating bibimbap. Instagram, KBS YouTube screenshot

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As the lifespan of trending products that shake up the domestic food market-such as Dubai Jjondeok Cookies (Dujjonku), butter rice cakes, and bomdong bibimbap-has become extremely short, food and dining companies are struggling to keep up. Trends end in about three months, but it takes at least three months to launch a related product. Although companies are drastically shortening their internal decision-making processes to follow trends, the ever-shortening trend cycle is proving to be a challenge.

According to a survey conducted by The Asia Business Daily on May 4 with product development executives from 25 domestic food and dining companies, 84% of respondents predicted that the current trend cycle would last "within three months." Of these, 48% answered "three months," and 36% answered "one month." Industries that are highly sensitive to trends, such as coffee shops and bakeries, most often viewed the trend cycle as "one month." Only 16% (four companies) believed that trends would last "six months," and no one answered that the trend cycle was one week.

Spring cabbage and Dubai chewy cookies. Yonhap News

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The fact that the food trend cycle is rapidly shortening can also be seen in portal site search data. According to Naver Data Lab, the "trend half-life" (the time it takes for search volume to fall to half its peak) dropped from 163 days for croffle in 2020, to 54 days for tanghulu in 2023, and to just 17 days for Dujjonku at the end of last year. This suggests that explosive interest spreads rapidly via SNS, then fades quickly as the next trend takes over.

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Although the trend cycle has shortened this much, it still takes longer to go from new product planning-incorporating trending flavors-to product launch. Among product development executives at food and dining companies, 52% (13 companies) said it takes "about three months" on average to launch a new product, followed by "about six months" at 36% (nine companies), and "more than one year" at 8% (two companies). Most view the trend cycle as within three months, but launching a new product still takes at least three months. Only one company responded that it can launch new products within one month.

New product launches require companies to go through several steps, including planning, product development, prototype review and approval, securing raw materials, and establishing promotional and marketing strategies, making the process inherently time-consuming. If they fail to catch a trend early, every business day puts them further behind. A food industry official commented, "We may feel rushed, but there are essential steps a company must take to create a single product, so from the consumer's perspective, it may seem as if we are late to the trend."

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That does not mean food and dining companies are not trying to shorten the launch period. They are simplifying internal decision-making structures to respond to trends. Of the 25 product development executives surveyed, 16 (64%) said that the decision-making process has been streamlined to secure speed in trend response. When launching trend-driven products, it is common to conduct irregular briefings or have related departments communicate continuously, day and night. In some cases, the productization decision process itself is changed. Whereas in the past, productization was determined by direction based on brand, market, and competition, for trend-responsive products, companies first set the theme and direction around the season, trend, and issues, then quickly specify flavors and packaging to streamline the process.

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An executive at one of the surveyed companies said, "Previously, a lot of time was spent repeatedly explaining the same information to different organizations during step-by-step reporting and approval processes. Recently, however, we've switched to a weekly or monthly town hall format, where relevant departments gather to share trends and responses, and discuss matters immediately on the spot." The executive added, "This has enabled real-time decision-making and significantly reduced both explanation costs and communication lead times."

Namyang Dairy Products, Nongshim, Daesang, THEBORN Korea, Dongwon, LOTTE GRS, Lotte Chilsung, Maeil Dairies, McDonald's, Binggrae, Samyang Foods, Sempio, Seoul Dairy Cooperative, Starbucks, Shinsegae Food, CJ CheilJedang, hy, Ottogi, Orion, OB Beer, Ediya Coffee, Paris Baguette, Pulmuone, HiteJinro, Haitai Confectionery & Foods-25 companies in total (listed in Korean alphabetical order).

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